An inquest has heard a devastating fire that killed three young children and a pregnant woman began with a tea light candle.
27-year-old Annmarie O'Brien, who was eight months pregnant, her daughter Paris, her niece Holly O'Brien and nephew Jordan McGinn died in the fire at a domestic violence support facility in Clondalkin in Dublin on March 8th 2017.
Verdicts of accidental death were returned for all who who died at Dublin Coroner's Court.
The court heard the seat of the fire was located to a shelf under a TV in the living room, and tea lights were found in debris there.
Jordan O'Brien who was one of the victims who died at the Sonas retreat in Clondalkin | Image: Facebook
Annmarie's sister Biddy O'Brien was the sole survivor of the fire.
She told an inquest the pair drank a box of beer between them and listened to music.
She said her sister loved tea lights but there were none burning that night.
"I remember lying down on the couch. I remember Annmarie going to her bed. After that, nothing," Biddy said.
Neighbours heard the building's central fire alarm go off at 2.30am. They banged on Annmarie's door before taking their children out of the complex.
The scene at the Sonas retreat for victims of domestic violence in Clondalkin in March 2017 | Image: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie
Members of Dublin Fire Brigade entered the apartment wearing breathing apparatus.
All five of the occupants were rushed to two hospitals in four ambulances.
Forensic examiner Paul Collins investigated the fire on behalf of Gardaí.
"The fire was an accident and mostly likely the consequence of a lit tea light or candle setting fire to a large TV screen," he said, adding that hot gases from the burning flame set the TV alight.
"It's very quick. Once the plastic goes on fire it generates vast quantities of black smoke," he said.
The scene at the Sonas retreat for victims of domestic violence in Clondalkin in March 2017 | Image: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie
The CEO of the domestic violence charity Sonas has also offered sympathies and condolences to the family.
Fiona Ryan said: "On behalf of the board and staff of Sonas Domestic Violence Charity, we wish to extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of Anne-Marie, Paris, Jordan and Holly, who died at Sonas's Clondalkin supported-housing complex on 8th March 2017.
"We said at the time of the tragedy that we were heartbroken.
"We remain so but we know that this is nothing compared to the devastating grief and trauma experienced by the families of Anne-Marie, Paris, Jordan and Holly.
"We cannot imagine their pain and anguish, what they have been through and what they continue to go through."
