A father and his children are in a critical condition in hospital this afternoon following an explosion at a house in Dublin's Rathfarnham earlier.
The four, who are being treated at Tallaght Hospital, are said to have suffered broken bones and serious burns in the blast which their demolished their family home in in Glendoher estate. The children's mother was also in the blast but managed to escape relatively unscathed.
It remains unclear what caused the explosion but an emergency crew from Bord Gais attended the scene along with Dublin Fire Brigade and ambulance units.
The incident occurred shortly before 11 a.m. and gardaí have sealed off the area for a more detailed examination.