A woman in her 50s is in a critical condition in hospital after suffering serious smoke inhalation during a house fire in Blarney in Co Cork overnight.
The woman was rescued from a downstairs room at Willison Meadows in Blarney shortly before 7am on Tuesday by firefighters using breathing apparatus.
The woman, who was alone in the house, was treated at the scene and taken to Cork University Hospital.
The alarm was raised at around 6.30am by a neighbour who saw smoke coming from the two-storey terraced house in the estate on the Blarney to Tower road to the west of Blarney village.
Units of Cork City Fire Brigade from Ballyvolane and Cork County Fire Service in Ballincollig spent around two hours bringing the fire under control and making the scene safe.
Garda forensic experts are due to examine the scene. However, initial indications suggest foul play was not a factor in the fire, which caused mainly smoke damage.
