Friends tell how son was minding elderly father for the night when they perished in Tipperary fire

A father and son have both died in a horrific house fire tragedy in Co Tipperary.

Father of three Stephen Lee (83) and his son John (56) died in a suspected accidental fire in Littleton, near Thurles in the early hours of Monday morning. Locals have told the Irish Mirror that John, who lives in the West Tipperary area was only staying with his father for the night when the tragedy occurred.

Former eircom worker and widower Stephen was due to celebrate his 84th birthday next week - and previously lost his wife Mary last year. Neighbours alerted emergency services to the scene at around 2:30am - but despite a quick response, efforts to save the men were unsuccessful.

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Speaking to the Irish Mirror, local councillor and neighbour Sean Ryan said both men were well known in the area and were lovely gentlemen. “We’re neighbours of them so my home house 70 yards away.

Their youngest son Christopher was in the same class in me as school so I knew them. They were two lovely gentlemen. Stephen was very quiet, he was a widower, his wife Mary passed away about two years ago.

So a member of the family would always stay with him and John was staying with him last night when this tragedy occurred. “We do know the neighbours called the fire brigade. We want to thank the emergency services for all they did. They were here within 12 minutes and did everything they could but were unfortunately unable to save them.”

Paying tribute to both men he added: “John would be the oldest of four in the family. They were quiet people. The daughter had a butcher in Littleton up until they closed last year. Stephen worked as a technician with eircom all his life. He would have gone about his business in a quiet way.

"His wife would have been involved in the bingo and choir and things like that. They were just lovely people. "John was only staying for the night. They used to do it in a rota,” he explained. Two units of the Tipperary Fire and Rescue Service from Thurles and Templemore attended the blaze.

Gardai say they are investigating the fire. A garda spokesperson said: “Two men, aged in their 80s and 50s, have been pronounced deceased. The bodies of the deceased remain at the scene. The scene is currently being preserved for technical examination. Investigations are ongoing.” A spokesperson for the fire service in north Tipperary confirmed that the fire was shortly brought under control.

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