Toddler's nan pays tribute to emergency service

The grandmother of a toddler rescued from at her home close to Horseleap last week has issued a heartfelt thanks to the emergency services and their wonderful neighbours for all their help and support in the wake of the ordeal. Speaking to the Offaly Independent this week, Mary Boland said eleven-month-old Naomi Boland remains in Our Lady's Hospital in Crumlin awaiting a skin graft after suffering third degree burns to her foot, but otherwise is doing well. "She is very alert and was happy to see her sister and brother. She's in good spirits. It's great that she is alive," Mary stated. She added that her mother and father have been an almost constant presence by her side in hospital since last week. The toddler was rescued by her father who had to break a window to get to her after the fire took hold in the upstairs of the house just after 4pm last Wednesday. The 11-month-old was not breathing when she was taken from the house, but the quick work of the ambulance personnel and the fire brigade with oxygen brought her back. She was later rushed by ambulance to the Midlands Regional Hospital in Tullamore, where she was treated for smoke inhalation and burns. The toddler was later transferred to Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin where she is recovering from her injuries. This week, her grandmother paid tribute to Kilbeggan and Athlone fire brigades, the ambulances and her neighbours for all of their assistance since the fire ordeal. "I can't say enough about my next door neighbours, people are so good. "The amount of phone calls, people calling out with things, and helping out has been wonderful," Mary Boland added. She said the family is very appreciative for everyone's kindness and well wishes since the accident. "I would never want to witness anything like that again," she said starkly of the ordeal. Naomi's sister Zoe (4) and brother John (3) were also in the house with a number of other family members at the time but luckily escaped without injury. Clara gardai are investigating the circumstances of the blaze but said they are not treating the incident as suspicious. It's thought the blaze began accidentally in an upstairs bedroom and a number of rooms were extensively damaged as a result.