A retired welder died in a fire at his family home at the weekend.
Noel Gunning (56) died when the blaze broke out at the house in Jordanstown, Ballynacargy, Co Westmeath, in the early hours of Saturday morning. His body was recovered from the house by the emergency services some time afterwards.
His mother, Mary, in her 80s, escaped and was taken to hospital in Mullingar. Her injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
“It is very sad to lose Noel in this way,” said local Cllr Johnny Penrose.
A technical examination of the scene has indicated that the fire was started accidentally.
Meanwhile, four people escaped without injury from a house fire in an estate on the Headford Road in Galway city on Saturday night.
Two units of Galway fire brigade fought the blaze at a house in Ros na Sí after the alarm was raised.
The fire caused extensive damage to the property and it took firefighters several hours to bring it under control.