‘All we can do is hope and pray for them both’
TWO MEN BADLY BURNED IN BLAZE AT AVOCA SHED
TWO friends who sustained extensive burns during an accidental shed fire on Sunday evening are in a serious condition in hospital.
Colm Morrissey and Pat Reddy suffered their injuries when an outbuilding at Mr Reddy’s property at Kilmagig, Avoca, became engulfed in flames.
The scene was attended by emergency services, including Arklow Fire Service, and the men were transferred to St James’s Hospital, where they remain.
Mr Morrissey’s mother Frances said that the family is in shock and that the entire community has rallied round to offer support.
‘ The two of them were badly burned and are in induced comas. We cannot go into visit in case of infection so we were advised to stay home while the surgery was taking place. The doctors thanked us for observing the rules.
‘Colm has had the first of many operations to come,’ Mrs Morrissey said.
‘ Everybody in the community has been so kind. We even got calls from as far away as Australia where Colm worked for a while. We don’t know yet what caused the fire. It is awful to look at him like that in hospital. All we can do is hope and pray that they will both recover,’ Mrs Morrissey added.
She also paid tribute to the medical team for the ‘ marvellous work’ they are doing for her youngest child, who is aged in his early forties.
A Garda spokesperson said that foul play is not suspected but they are investigating how the property went on fire.