Gardai yesterday warned people to be careful with fires and electrical appliances, following the death of an elderly woman in a house fire in Listowel, Co Kerry.
Ms Margaret Peggy McElligott (83), who lived alone, was found dead at her house at Courthouse Road yesterday morning.
A passerby raised the alarm when he saw flames in the dormer terraced house at around 8.30 a.m. Gardai and fire fighters arrived quickly but Ms McElligott was already dead. It is believed the fire may have started in a living area where Ms McElligott did her cooking. The dead woman's body was removed to Tralee General Hospital where a post-mortem was conducted.
"It's a very sad that this woman should die in such tragic circumstances. It again highlights the need for extreme care with fires and electrical appliances coming up to Christmas," a Garda spokesman said.