An 80-year-old Dublin grandmother narrowly escaped a house fire this morning by climbing out of a bedroom window in her nightclothes. The fire broke out at the home of Mrs. Catherine Boylan on Sundrive Road while she and four family members were asleep.
Her 25-year-old grandson, Christy Boylan, woke up to the smell of smoke and discovered the fire in the kitchen. He quickly raised the alarm and helped get everyone out of the house. His brother Joseph (23) suffered a cut on his arm after jumping to the street. Other family members, Gerard (21) and Marita (17), also escaped safely.
Neighbours, including Paddy McElroy, Joseph Reid, and Matthew Winterlach, assisted in the rescue. Gerard Gallagher broke a window to help Mrs. Boylan climb down a ladder. Mrs. Boylan, who sustained leg cuts, was taken to St. James’s Hospital along with two other family members for minor injuries.
The fire caused extensive damage to the home, which has been in the family for 40 years. The Boylans are staying with neighbours while repairs are made. At the time of the fire, Mrs. Boylan’s daughter, Agnes, and her husband, Denis Gallagher, were out shopping.