News

Man arrested after Derrylin house fire that claimed four lives remains in custody

One victim is believed to be Diane Gossett's young daughter
One victim is believed to be Diane Gossett's young daughter

A MAN arrested at the scene of a fire that claimed the lives of four people remained in custody last night.

Detectives said a 27 year-old man who had been under police guard in hospital following his arrest had been "moved to police custody for questioning".

The body of a young child was found at the scene of the Derrylin house fire in which another three family members died.

The fire at the isolated Co Fermanagh bungalow broke out early on Tuesday morning. Police believe it was started deliberately.

The victims of the blaze at Molly Road have still not been named by police, but it is believed they were members of the same family.

They have been named locally as Crystal Gossett, her daughter Diane (19) and son Edward (16). The fourth victim is believed to be Diane's young daughter.

The infant and her uncle Edward Gossett 
The infant and her uncle Edward Gossett 

Photographs claiming to be the first images of the infant and Edward were published by the Belfast Telegraph yesterday.

They show the 16-year-old and his young niece and are understood to have been taken in June last year.

PSNI Detective Inspector Peter McKenna said post mortem examinations would take place in order to positively identify the victims involved "in this appalling incident".

"The 27-year-old man arrested by police at the scene had been under police guard in hospital but has now been moved to police custody for questioning," he added.

The suspect, who has been named locally as Sam Quinn, is understood to have also lived at the Molly Road property.

While the family had been living in Derrylin for around a year, they were not well known to neighbours.

It is believed they were originally from Doncaster in England and lived in Tralee before moving to Derrylin, where they were renting the large bungalow.