A HOUSE fire in east London which killed three elderly Irish people has been ruled as 'not suspicious'.
Police were called shortly after 4am last Monday (February 6) to an address at Laburnum Avenue in Hornchurch.
Metropolitan Police Officers, the London Ambulance Service and the London Fire Brigade attended the blaze.
A woman, who has since been named as 68-year-old Ann Whelan, was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 5am.
The two men, brothers Joe and James Whelan, both in their 70s, were taken an east London hospital in a critical condition.
Sadly both brothers died in hospital on Tuesday, February 7.
Joe and Ann were visiting James from Cobh in Co. Cork, and had arrived just a few days before the tragedy struck.
Following an investigation by the police and London Fire Brigade no evidence of a suspicious fire was uncovered.
Police also said a post-mortem examination and formal identification of the victims will be scheduled in due course and a report will be compiled for the coroner.
Chief Superintendent Sean Wilson, in charge of Havering borough, said: "We are very sad that the community has lost three of its members in this very tragic incident. This appears to be through accidental circumstances. Our prayers and condolences go out to the families of those involved."
James Whelan's neighbour Noel O'Flaherty paid tribute to the Cork couple and his neighbour last week.
“They were very nice, and a lovely couple,” Mr O’Flaherty said, “Joe and Jim were very close, and Jim would go home on a regular basis to see his brother.”
“I thought of Jim as a wonderful neighbour, and we got on great. We had chats over the garden fence and he always spoke highly of Ireland," Mr O'Flaherty said, “we had a good friendship.”
The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs have confirmed they are providing consular assistance and Minister Charlie Flanagan said: “I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the three people who died following a house fire in Hornchurch on Monday.“
