A mother of two has died in a house fire in Limerick, which is believed to have been started by a lit cigarette.
Geraldine Keane, from Limerick city, was found by firemen at her home in Janesboro early yesterday morning. The 47-year-old, who had recently become a grandmother, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her devastated partner of 11 years, Patsy Downes, said he had warned her not to smoke a cigarette before he tucked her into bed, just minutes before her tragic death.
“I put her into bed. I took matches off her so she wouldn’t light a cigarette. Obviously she found a lighter and lit a fag . . . and she probably fell asleep,“ said Mr Downes yesterday.
‘Gentle soul’
“She was lovely. I loved her. She was the life and soul of a party and very well liked, no matter where she would go. Nobody would ever say a bad word about her. She was a gentle soul.”
It was the third family tragedy for the father of three, whose first wife Lilly died in 1999 from breast cancer. His brother John also died in tragic circumstances.
Mr Downes (67) described Ms Keane as his best friend. “We had our ups and downs, but we were united. No matter where I’d be, she was always with me. She was a jovial person. She loved singing and dancing,” he added.
Mr Downes, originally from Hospital, Co Limerick, said he had been socialising at The Pavilion social club with Ms Keane – situated a few yards from their home – and were celebrating with a local over-40s soccer team that won a local tournament.
After escorting his partner home, Mr Downes said he tucked her into bed before returning to the social club.
‘Tragic accident’
“I wasn’t 10 minutes in there, and then
two young men came in and said, ‘Your house is on fire’,” he explained.
Mr Downes, who worked for Guinness brewery in Limerick, was confronted at his home by fire engines and thick black smoke billowing out of an upstairs window.
“I went to go in the front gate, and they [gardaí] said to me, ‘You can’t go in . . . it’s pretty bad’. The whole room was gutted, the ceiling, everything, walls, ceiling, everything inside was burned.
“They [firemen] told me there was extensive damage done. The garda told me [Geraldine] probably didn’t feel anything, and that the smoke would have got to her first.”
Gardaí described Ms Keane’s death as “a tragic accident” and a senior source said they do not suspect foul play.