A Garda forensic team from Dublin yesterday examined the burnt out shell of the two storey farm house near Dunmanway, Co Cork, in which an elderly woman lost her life in suspicious circumstances on Sunday.
Mrs Ellen O'Regan's body was found near a window in an upstairs bedroom. The 70 year old woman lived alone.
Her husband, Michael, also 70, who lives in a caravan beside the house, raised the alarm at 3.18 p.m. on Sunday.
Mr O'Regan was treated for shock at Bantry Hospital but is expected to be released either today or tomorrow.
All that remains of the old style farmhouse, which is situated in the remote Coole Mountain area on a little used back road between Dunmanway and Bantry, is a burned out shell.
Supt John Flynn, of Clonakilty, confirmed that the death was being treated as suspicious. Gardai are awaiting the results of a post mortem examination which was carried out yesterday by Dr Margaret Bolster, the Assistant State Pathologist.
The O'Regan home is located about half a mile from the nearest neighbour.
Yesterday, Mrs O'Regan was described as a retiring person who went quietly about her business.
A neighbour said: "We saw nothing unusual in the area until we heard the fire brigades coming. We looked out and saw the smoke and flames. You could see the fire from a long way off, it was a huge blaze. It's a very sad thing to have happened. She was a very nice woman. I'm very sorry for Michael O'Regan too. Around here, people keep to themselves and don't interfere. It's a tragedy."
Mr Andrew McIlwraith, the assistant chief fire officer in Bantry said Mrs O'Regan's body was found in the central upstairs bedroom. He added that it took almost an hour to bring the fire under control.
The heavily forested locality is sparsely housed and has many winding lanes. Last month, an estimated £750,000 worth of damage was caused when a forest fire destroyed a huge plantation in the area.