There is widespread shock in the Swinford area of Co Mayo after two people died following a house fire overnight.
Tom and Eileen Mahon, who operated a well-known furniture and flooring business in Swinford, both died in the fire.
Emergency services were alerted to the blaze at the two-storey detached house in the Deerpark area on the outskirts of Swinford at around 2am this morning.
It is understood the alarm was raised after a neighbour's dog became agitated and started barking.
The blaze took hold of the property quite quickly and spread rapidly.
They were the only people in the house at the time.
Several units of Mayo Fire Service attended the scene and spent a number of hours bringing the situation under control.
The scene has been sealed off and preserved pending a full technical examination, which will try to determine the exact cause of the blaze.
