London fire in which three Irish people died is investigated

Three Irish people who died in a house fire in England on Monday have been named locally as Joe, Anne and Jim Whelan.

Joe and Jim Whelan were said to be brothers.

They are understood to be from Cobh, Co Cork, although Jim Whelan had been living in the UK.

London Fire Brigade has been trying to establish the cause of the fire in the suburb of Hornchurch.

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The Irish Embassy in London declined to confirm reports that the victims were originally from Co Cork.

A spokeswoman told The Irish Times the Embassy was providing consular assistance to the victims’ families.

A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police said the fire was not being treated as suspicious.

Four fire engines and 21 firefighters were called to the blaze at a mid-terraced house on Laburnum Avenue shortly after 4am on Monday morning.

There they found part of the ground floor damaged by fire. The fire was under control shortly before 6am.

The two brothers and the woman were rescued by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus.

All three were treated at the scene by the fire brigade and London Ambulance Service crews, but the woman was pronounced dead before firefighters left the scene.

“My thoughts and those of everyone at the brigade are with the friends and family of the three people who have died following the tragic fire in Hornchurch on Monday morning,” London fire commissioner Dany Cotton said.

“Firefighters worked extremely hard and did all they could in difficult conditions,” he said.

The Romford Recorder reported that a woman who lives opposite the site of the tragedy said: “I watched the firemen bring them out. I was compelled to watch, willing them to do everything they could.”

Neighbour Jeffrey Prendergast added: “It is tragic. There was smoke billowing out the windows.”