CO OFFALY - Arson is now suspected in the fire that ravaged a home in County Offaly which left a 4-year old boy and a sixty-year old woman dead.

Gardai say they have commenced a murder investigation into all the circumstances of the fatal house fire that occurred at a home in Castleview Park, Edenderry, Co. Offaly on Saturday night

Emergency services, including Offaly Fire and Rescue Service, National Ambulance Service and Gardai were alertered to the fire and rushed to the scene around 7.45pm Saturday.

The fire was extinguished and the remains of the two victims were discoevered

Another occupant of the house, a woman, aged in her 50s, who was seriously injured in the fire was rushed to hospital by the National Ambulance Service for treatment.

Gardai say the house has been declared a crime scene and is currently being subjected to technical examination by the Garda Technical Bureau.

The office of the Local Coroner and the State Pathologist have been notified.

The remains of the boy and the woman who were killed in the fire have been removed from the scene and post mortems were carried out by the Assistant State Pathologist Margot Bolster at the Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore, on Sunday afternoon.

Late Sunday night, Gardai released the names of those killed in the fire. They were  Tadhg Farrell, aged 4, and Mary Holt, aged 60. 

This murder investigation into the pair is being coordinated from an incident room at Tullamore Garda Station under the direction of a Senior Investigating Officer.

A Family Liaison Officer has been appointed to the families.

An Garda Siochana, in Sunday's statement, says they believe that the house was attacked by a person or persons unknown at this time, and that the fire was deliberately started. "This was a reckless, callous and murderous attack on a family home," Superintendent Liam Geraghty told a press conference on Sunday afternoon.

Gardai in Offaly are appealing for any person with any information on this fatal incident to speak with investigating officers.

They want to speak with anyone who was in the vicinity of Castleview Park, or adjoining roads between 7.00pm and 8.00pm, on Saturday night.

Gardaí say they additionally want to speak with any one who was driving in the vicinity of Castleview Park, or adjoining roads between 7.00pm and 8.00pm Saturday night, particularly if they have any dashcam video footage or images.

The investigation team can be contacted at the incident room at Tullamore Garda Station on 057 932 7600, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station, in particular Edenderry Garda Station.

Photo credits: Offaly Fire & Rescue Service (file photo); Aisling Hyland | PA Wire.