THE two Irish people who died in a house fire in New York state on Monday morning were named yesterday as Ms Mary Finola Roche (22), from Moate, Co Westmeath, and Mr James Monaghan (26), from Rathedmond Estate, Sligo. Four others escaped with minor injuries. They are Mr John Dowd (29), from Roscommon, who planned to marry Ms Roche Ms Una Doolan (20), of Lisnamult, Co Roscommon Mr Fergal Roche (21), of Moate, Co Westmeath, and believed to be a cousin of Ms Roche and Mr Charles Debryn (33), of Edgewater, New Jersey.
The fire broke out just before 3 a.m. at a three storey house in Congers in which Ms Roche lived with Mr Dowd. Ms Doolan and Mr Roche are students and are due to return to Ireland soon.
Local police yesterday described Ms Roche as a heroine who died from smoke inhalation after alerting the others to the fire, including Mr Monaghan, who was in the basement.
Mr Monaghan, a manager of a sports shop in Roscrea, had arrived in the US hours before the fire.
Mr Dowd's mother, Eileen, said her son and Ms Roche "didn't have a date set but they were getting engaged. Mary Finola was beautiful in every way and always one to do things for everyone else before even thinking of herself".