Boy, 4, Woman, 60, Die in House Fire as Police Launch Murder Investigation

A murder investigation has been launched after two people, including a 4-year-old boy, died in a house fire in central Ireland.

Emergency services responded to a fire at a residence in Castleview Park, Edenderry, in County Offaly at around 7:45 p.m. local time on Saturday, Dec. 6. Four-year-old Tadhg Farrell and 60-year-old Mary Holt died in the fire at the home, Ireland’s National Police (INP) confirmed to PEOPLE.

“Emergency services, including Offaly Fire and Rescue Service, National Ambulance Service and [INP] responded to the fire shortly after 7:45 p.m.,” INP Superintendent, Liam Geraghty, said at a press conference. “The fire was extinguished and the remains of two persons, a woman aged 60 and a 4-year-old boy, were discovered deceased.”

Holt is believed to be the great aunt of Farrell, The Irish Times reported.

A second woman in her 50s was transported to the hospital with “serious injuries,” said Geraghty. The injured woman is reportedly Farrell’s grandmother, per The Irish Times.

Geraghty said that police believe that this was a targeted attack and that the fire was “deliberately started” at the house.

“This was a reckless, callous and murderous attack on a family home,” he said at the press conference, noting that authorities are searching for possible suspects at this time.

The house is being treated as a crime scene and is under technical examination by the Guard of Technical Bureau. Postmortems will be carried out at a later date.

“This murder investigation is being coordinated from an incident room at Turbo Garda station under the direction of a senior investigating officer and a family liaison officer has been appointed to the families,” said Geraghty.

The Irish Times reported that the Garda, or Irish police, believe a petrol bomb was thrown into the house causing it to set fire. The victims were trapped in a downstairs room of the residence in the fire. The suspects are possibly criminals involved in the drug trade, according to the outlet.

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Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said in a statement, per The Irish Times, that the police will “relentlessly pursue the violent and dangerous criminals responsible for this murderous attack.” 

The investigation is ongoing.

INP were unable to share any further updates on the investigation when contacted by PEOPLE.