FIVE people, including two children, have lost their lives following two tragedies in Co. Mayo on Tuesday.
In the first incident, two people died in an early-morning house fire in Swinford.
They have since been named locally as Tom and Eileen Mahon, who were in their 60s.
Later on Tuesday, a woman and two girls died following a two-vehicle a collision on the N17 in Castlegar.
Taoiseach designate Simon Harris described the tragedies as a ‘dark day’ for Co. Mayo.
“A devastating day for the people of Mayo,” the Fine Gael TD posted on social media.
“Thinking of the families and friends of the woman and two girls who have lost their lives in Castlegar and of Tom and Eileen Mahon, who died in a fire in Swinford. A dark day.
“I know the community will rally to support all those grieving.”
Appeal over images
In the Swinford incident, emergency services were alerted to a fire in the Deerpark area at around 2am on Tuesday.
Local fire services attended and extinguished the fire, with the scene preserved for a technical examination by the Garda Technical Bureau.
Mr and Mrs Mahon were well-known in the local community, having run the Mahon Furniture and Flooring business in Swinford.
Meanwhile, at around 2pm, emergency services attended the scene of a collision between a lorry and a car on the N17 in Castlegar, outside Claremorris.
“The driver (female) and two girls who were passengers in the car, were fatally injured,” read a garda statement.
“No other injuries have been reported.”
It added: “An Garda Síochána is aware that images of the crash scene are currently in circulation.
“Out of respect for the family, we are requesting these images are not shared.”
The road was closed to allow garda Forensic Collision Investigators to conduct an examination of the scene.
Gardaí have appealed for any witnesses to the collision or those with camera footage to contact them.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Claremorris Garda Station on 094 9372080, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666111 or any garda station.