Electrical fault blamed for fire in which teenager died

The youth who died in a fire at his family home in St Fintan's Park, Deansgrange, Dublin, was named yesterday as Paul Cummins…

The youth who died in a fire at his family home in St Fintan's Park, Deansgrange, Dublin, was named yesterday as Paul Cummins (17). Gardai believe the fire started accidentally.

Three appliances and two ambulances of Dublin Fire Brigade and two Eastern Health Board ambulances came to the scene of the blaze at 5.41 a.m.

The dead youth's parents, Thomas and Trisha Cummins, and their three children, Karl (5), Emma (7) and Aaron (13) were treated in St Michael's Hospital, Dun Laoghaire, for shock and smoke inhalation.

The two younger children were taken later to Crumlin Children's Hospital. Another brother, Shane (15), was out of the house staying with friends that night, gardai said.

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According to Dublin Fire Brigade sources, an electrical fault was the most likely cause of the fire. The fire apparently "burst" from the attic into Paul's room where he was sleeping on his own. He is thought to have died from smoke inhalation.

The fire brigade sources added that, in spite of responding in under three minutes, the fire was "going well" by the time they arrived.

A Garda forensic investigation was under way yesterday afternoon.

Gardai said there was no suspicion of foul play being a factor.