Gardaí investigating body found in burning car in Dublin unable to determine cause of death

Human remains discovered in Finglas will require DNA tests to confirm the deceased’s identity

Emergency services attended the scene at Killeek Bridge at Killeek Lane shortly after 11am. Photograph: Google Maps
Emergency services attended the scene at Killeek Bridge at Killeek Lane shortly after 11am. Photograph: Google Maps

Gardaí investigating the discovery of human remains in a burning car in Finglas, Dublin, this morning are unable to determine the person’s gender or cause of death.

Such is the damage caused to the body by the fire that DNA tests will be required to confirm the deceased’s identity.

Gardaí are also consulting missing persons records.

Investigators are unable to tell if the deceased died before or after the fire started. Gardaí are treating the death as suspicious and believe the fire was started deliberately.

Dublin Fire Brigade responded to the scene at Killeek Bridge at Killeek Lane shortly after 11am on Monday, having received a report of a burning car.

The car was found in a field up a rural lane north of Dublin Airport.

Firefighters working to put out the blaze did not release the car contained human remains until the fire was extinguished.

This meant the remains were in a “extremely poor” condition when they were subject to a preliminary examination by gardaí.

The Garda Technical Bureau has been dispatched to the scene to carry out a more detailed examination. The Office of the State Pathologist has also been notified and a postmortem will be arranged.

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