A fire that killed three young children and a pregnant woman began with a tea light candle, an inquest has heard.

Annmarie O'Brien (27) who was eight months pregnant, her daughter Paris (2), her niece Holly O'Brien (22 months) and nephew Jordan McGinn (4) died in the fire at a domestic violence support facility in Clondalkin in Dublin on March 8th last year.

Verdicts of accidental death were returned at Dublin Coroner's Court.

The seat of the fire was located at a shelf under a TV in the living room, and tea lights were found in debris there, the court heard.

Annmarie's sister Biddy O'Brien was the sole survivor of the fire that broke out shortly before 2.30am.

She told an inquest that she visited Annmarie, who was living with her daughter in supported accommodation, every week.

She arrived at the apartment before Annmarie on March 7th 2017.

Jordan O'Brien who was one of the victims who died at the Sonas retreat in Clondalkin | Image: Facebook

Staff let her in and she cleaned the apartment, burned rubbish in the fireplace, bathed the children and made porridge for them.

Annmarie attended a hospital appointment and arrived home around 6.30pm. She had been told that day she was to get her own home.

The children played on an iPad before going to bed at 9.00pm, Biddy O'Brien told the court.

She said the pair drank a box of beer between them and listened to music. She said her sister loved tea lights but there were none burning that night.

"Visibility was zero"

"I remember lying down on the couch. I remember Annmarie going to her bed. After that, nothing," Biddy said.

Neighbours heard the building's central fire alarm go off at 2.30am. They banged on Annmarie's door before taking their children out of the complex.

Members of Dublin Fire Brigade entered the apartment wearing breathing apparatus.

"Visibility was zero. Dave (a firefighter) found a baby in a nappy. He picked up the child and left the building.

"I found a child, either standing up or sitting on the couch, a little girl. I left with the child and handed her to a firefighter," firefighter Keith Conroy said.

All five of the occupants were rushed to two hospitals in four ambulances.

Bridget O'Brien identified the bodies of her grandchildren hours later.

"I only found out what had happened when I saw them," she said.

Forensic examiner Paul Collins investigated the fire on behalf of Gardaí.

"The fire was an accident and mostly likely the consequence of a lit tea light or candle setting fire to a large TV screen," he said, adding that hot gases from the burning flame set the TV alight.

"It's very quick. Once the plastic goes on fire it generates vast quantities of black smoke," he said. 

The scene at the Sonas retreat for victims of domestic violence in Clondalkin in March 2017 | Image: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Fire alarms

Two fire alarms had been dismantled and were hanging down with batteries removed. A third inside the front door was operating, he said.

A neighbour told the inquest said she and Annmarie had tampered with the fire alarm in the kitchen prior to the fire.

"It went off one day when she was cooking. We got up on a chair and tried to turn it off but it wouldn't go off. We fiddled with it.

"Eventually it went off by itself," the neighbour said.

Post-mortems on the children revealed they died of brain damage secondary to smoke inhalation due to a house fire.

Annmarie O'Brien died due to carbon monoxide poisoning.

Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane returned verdicts of accidental death for all who died in the fire, including Annmarie's unborn baby.

"The very fact of going through so many verdicts in relation to tiny babies, its very moving. I offer my deep condolences on your tragic loss," the coroner said.

The scene at the Sonas retreat for victims of domestic violence in Clondalkin in March 2017 | Image: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

"Deepest sympathies"

The CEO of the domestic violence charity Sonas has also offfered sympathies and condolences to the family.

Fiona Ryan said: "On behalf of the board and staff of Sonas Domestic Violence Charity, we wish to extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of Anne-Marie, Paris, Jordan and Holly, who died at Sonas's Clondalkin supported-housing complex on 8th March 2017.

"We said at the time of the tragedy that we were heartbroken.

"We remain so but we know that this is nothing compared to the devastating grief and trauma experienced by the families of Anne-Marie, Paris, Jordan and Holly.

"We cannot imagine their pain and anguish, what they have been through and what they continue to go through.

"Anne-Marie and Paris had lived in Sonas's Clondalkin complex since January 2016.

"The complex is one of Sonas's accommodation-based services.

She added: "Sonas strives for the highest standards in all our support services to women and children experiencing domestic abuse including all aspects of health and safety.

"Finally, we want to thank the Dublin Fire Brigade and the Gardaí in Clondalkin and once again offer our profound condolences again to all who lost their loved ones in this terrible tragedy."

Reporting by Louise Roseingrave | Additional reporting: Jack Quann