THE owner of a house destroyed in a fire has thanked passers-by and firefighters for their heroic efforts helping to rescue his housemate from the flames, after a blaze engulfed the property today.
Mathew Hickey, 32, said he was left “speechless” after arriving at his badly damaged house, at Island Road, Limerick city, shortly after midday.
A 32-year old male was treated by emergency services at the scene before being rushed by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick, suffering with breathing difficulties due to smoke inhalation.
Neighbours and a man who was passing the house in a jeep made a dramatic bid to rescue the injured man but were pushed back by the flames.
Mr Hickey praised their efforts after after they smashed the front door with a hammer to try to get to his housemate, who had been trapped by the fire in an upstairs room.
Five units attached to Limerick City and County Fire and Rescue Service responded to the scene and two Breathing Apparatus teams of four members entered the burning property, discovered the injured man in an upstairs room and brought him to safety.
Speaking outside his charred home, Mr Hickey said: “I was in my girlfriend’s house when I got a phone call from a neighbour who told me the house was on fire, so I got over the road as quick as I could to find my friend been brought out of the house.”
“I’m pretty speechless at the moment, because I don’t have much, all I have is my house.”
“I’m living here pretty much all my life. At the moment they can’t tell me if it was electrical, or even as stupid as a phone, or a cigarette on the ground. As far as I know someone spotted the smoke and there was someone going by in a jeep and along with my neighbours, they knocked on the door and they got no answer, and the person who apparently was on the phone to the fire brigade – fair play to them – got a hammer and went straight through the door before my mate was pulled from the flames.”
“I feel unfortunate because of the damage to the house, but strangely fortunate that I’m not down a fast good friend. These houses were built in 1997 and I’m here ever since; I took over the house after my mother died.”
Mr Hickey said he wanted to “thank” all those who helped rescue his friend, and added, “if I ever get your name I’d duly like to meet you and shake your hand”.
Local Sinn Fein Councillor, John Costelloe, said: “I want to commend the bravery of the passers by and I’d like to appeal to them to come forward so that Matthew can thank them personally for saving his friend’s life, and I want to commend the actions of the emergency services who were here in no time whatsoever, prompt as ever; It’s just as well we have such an efficient service in our city, and I commend them once again.”
“The neighbours in the area showed massive bravery in putting their own lives at risk, and my thoughts and prayers are with the gentleman, who, sadly has been injured.”
A neighbour speaking at the scene said those involved in the rescue were “heroes”.
Gardai, who do not suspect foul play, said they “attended a house fire on Island Road at around 12 midday” and a man was “treated at the scene” for injuries.
