GARDAÍ IN Ballinasloe, Co Galway, are investigating the circumstances that led to the loss of two lives in a fire early yesterday.
Christy (59) and Janey (54) Ward died in the fire that engulfed their mobile home about a mile outside Ballinasloe town.
The fire is believed to have broken out shortly after 2am, and the alarm was raised by a family in a neighbouring caravan situated on an isolated bog road at Poolboy.
Fire brigade staff were unable to save the couple due to the intensity of the blaze.
"It was an inferno when we arrived," said a fireman. "The heat was so intense, and inside a few minutes the mobile home was gutted. We were completely helpless to save them."
The structure, which was burnt to the ground, was examined by a Garda forensic team yesterday.
The bodies of Mr and Mrs Ward were removed yesterday evening to Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe, where State Pathologist, Prof Marie Cassidy, was due to carry out a postmortem.
Hospital chaplain Fr Bernie Costello, who visited the scene, said people in the town were shocked to hear of the couple's death.
Mr and Mrs Ward are survived by a large family, the youngest being a 13-year-old daughter who had been staying with them until recently.
It is understood the couple were on their own in the mobile home when the fire broke out.
The couple came from the Mountbellew area of Co Galway, and had been living in Ballinasloe over the past 15 years at several locations.
They had been allocated a local authority house in Ballinasloe at St Grellan's Terrace, but this was destroyed by fire several years ago when the premises was unoccupied - the couple were visiting relatives in Britain at the time.
They were then allocated one of the "tigíns" - caravans and mobile homes located close to the Galway County Council landfill site at Poolboy.
Ten years ago a local doctor criticised the "primitive conditions", including the absence of public toilets and the proximity to a dump. Only one other caravan of six is currently occupied.
There was an outpouring of grief as relatives of the dead couple arrived in Ballinasloe yesterday evening.
The Wards were described by friends as a quiet but very popular couple in the locality.
"Christy loved Elvis - that's all he ever wanted . . . and they were a lovely couple," said Anne Ward from Athenry, Co Galway.
Mr Ward was best known in Ballinasloe for his trademark cowboy hat and his love of country music.
Investigating gardaí are keeping an open mind as to the cause of the fire.
People from many parts of Ireland and Britain are expected to attend the funeral of Mr and Mrs Ward, which is expected to be held this week.