NEIGHBOURS of a family in a blazing flat in Ballymun, Dublin, praised yesterday for risking their lives to save a woman and her young daughter who were unconscious and trapped behind the front door.
A stored tank of petrol is believed to have caused the fire early yesterday morning, in which a family of four received burns.
When gardai and neighbours tried to enter the flat on the fourth floor of the eight storey complex they found the front door was blocked. Instead two neighbours and a garda climbed around a third floor balcony to a side window which was "very small", a Finglas fire service spokesman said.
Gardai from Ballymun and a fire brigade from Finglas arrived at 106 Sillogue Road at about 2.50 a.m., after residents in the complex raised the alarm.
A Garda spokesman said a number of neighbours had "put themselves at considerable risk and showed quick thinking" in attempting to rescue the family.
One of the neighbours, Mr Eamon McHugh, said: "When we entered the flat we couldn't see anything, the place was black with smoke." Mr McHugh and a garda found Ms Angela Rooney, and seconds later her two year old daughter, unconscious just behind the door. A bicycle was blocking the entrance. Ms Rooney's legs had become tangled in the spokes of the wheels and she had fallen over.
Mr McHugh said when he entered the flat the two year old was not moving and he thought' she was dead. By this time a large crowd had gathered outside and plumes of smoke could be seen from the road.
The father, Mr Anthony Rooney, and a 13 year old daughter had managed to escape from the flat. Mr McHugh and the gardai were unaware of this and spent a short time searching for Mr Rooney and his older daughter.
Mr and Ms Rooney were taken to the Mater Hospital and the two children were taken to Temple Street Children's hospital. A Garda spokesman said all four received burns and were "stable".