Enniskillen Courthouse

A 27-year-old man has appeared before Enniskillen Magistrates Court this morning charged with murdering four people, including a toddler, in last week’s fatal house fire in Derrylin. 

Daniel Sebastian Allen of 57 Molly Road in Derrylin is accused of four counts of murder on February 27th this year. The court was told that the victims are currently unidentified. He faces a further charge on the same date of arson, endangering life, of the same property belonging to Thomas Fee. 

Wearing a grey tracksuit and in handcuffs, Allen stood as the charges were read out in court during the brief hearing. When asked if he understood the charges against him, Allen replied: “Yes”. 

Detective Inspector Brian Maxwell said he could connect the accused with the charges before the court. Defence solicitor Gary Black said no application for bail was being made. 

District Judge Nigel Broderick remanded Allen in custody. He will appear in court again via video-link on March 26th. 

On Saturday police were granted an additional 36 hours, by a court, to question Allen after he was arrested on suspicion of murder.  Allen was detained by police at the scene of last week’s early morning fire in the rural bungalow and had been under police guard in hospital in Enniskillen before being moved into custody for questioning.

Last Tuesday morning’s fire is believed to have claimed the lives of three generations of the same family. Landlord of the property Mr Fee has named the victims as Crystal Gossett (44), her children Diane (19) and Edward (16), as well as Diane’s young daughter, who is believed to have been aged under two. The family are originally from Doncaster in England but had previously lived in Tralee in Kerry before moving to Fermanagh around 12 months ago.

Investigations into the fire are continuing and post mortem examinations will take place in order to positively identify the victims involved. 

Police are still appealing for people with any information about the residents of the property to get in touch.