A MAN aged 27 has been questioned by police after at least three English family members died in a Co. Fermanagh house fire.
The suspected arson attack occurred shortly after 7am yesterday at a bungalow on Molly Road in Doon, near Derrylin.
Those killed were a mother and her two children originally from Doncaster in Yorkshire, who had previously lived in Tralee, Co. Kerry before moving to Northern Ireland a year ago.
They have been named locally as mum Crystal Gossett and her teenage children Edward, 16, and 19-year-old Diane – while a fourth victim, Diane’s infant daughter, is also feared dead.
The 27-year-old suspect was detained at the scene of the blaze and taken under police guard to the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen, where he was questioned this afternoon.
Speaking at a press conference this lunchtime, Senior Investigating Officer DI Peter McKenna said the inferno could claim another victim soon.
“At this stage we are still working intensively to establish how many victims were involved in this appalling incident,” he said.
“This will take a number of days due to the structural damage caused by the fire which is further compounded by the severe weather that is forecast.
“The specialist officers will ensure that the bodies of all persons identified are recovered in a dignified manner. Post mortem examinations will then follow and this will assist me in confirming the identity of the victims.”
Locals tried in vain to save the family-of-four when fire broke out on Tuesday morning, with neighbour Tom Fee breaking down doors and windows with a sledgehammer before being beaten back by the flames.
Speaking to the Fermanagh Herald, Mr Fee said: “I was joined by a couple of neighbours. We broke down two windows and a door but there was too much smoke and the slates were falling.
“It was too dangerous and beat us out. I’m still in a state of shock.
“I can’t imagine what these people went through in this intense fire, it was ferocious.”
