Post mortem examinations have been carried out on the bodies of a couple who died in a fire in a mobile home in Co Galway.
The tests were carried out by State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy at Portiuncula Hospital this evening.
The victims have been named locally as Christy and Janie Ward, a married couple in their 50s who were originally from the Mountbellew area of Co Galway.
The blaze occurred shortly after 2am this morning at a mobile home in Poolboy on the outskirts of Ballinasloe.
The scene of the fire was examined by Garda forensic experts, who say it will remain sealed off until tomorrow.
A garda spokesman said there was no reason to believe there was anything suspicious about the fire, but gardaí were still carrying out a full investigation to try and establish how it occurred.
The couple had moved into the mobile home after another blaze destroyed their house in Ballinasloe last October.
Family friend Ann Ward described them as a lovely, happy-go-lucky couple who were greatly respected and loved by the community. She said their families were devastated by the tragedy.
Hospital Chaplin Fr Bernie Costello, who was at the scene of the fire in the early hours of the morning, said their deaths had left the town in shock.
The entire community was praying for and wanted to extend sympathy to the family, he added.
