Couple who died in Crossbarry tragedy named

An elderly couple who died in a house fire in Raheen near Crossbarry on the morning of Tuesday 20 October have been named locally as William and Geraldine Hawkes.

Fire services from Cork city, Bandon, and Macroom attended to the scene quickly after the alarm was raised at around 7am. However, the fire spread quickly in the detached bungalow.

It is understood that William Hawkes was removed from the house but efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. Geraldine Hawkes' remains were later discovered inside the building.

It is believed that the couple were overcome by the smoke from the fire while they were sleeping.

Independent councillor Alan Coleman said it was a tragedy and something that no one expected to hit their community. He said that the couple and their family were very active in the community, and the deaths were having a huge impact, which he said was numbing.

"People in the parish are gathering around in groups. They just can't believe such a thing would happen in our own parish here.

"Obviously they need to find out what happened and that will happen in due course. For the time being, for the people here, they need to rally around the family and get to terms with what's after happening here," he said.

A precise cause for the fire has not been found, but firefighters are conducting a detailed examination to determine whether or not a Garda file will need to be submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions.