A MAJOR Garda investigation is underway after a house was set alight in Loughrea at the weekend with two female occupants having to flee the residence – their pet dog died in the incident.

The night of horror for a grandmother and her grand-daughter began at around 1am on Sunday morning last at their home in Fahy Gardens when a man broke the front window of the house.

He then poured petrol into the front room before setting it alight forcing the two women to escape from the house via the backdoor.

It is understood that the younger woman had been in the front room of the house at the time of the attack but ran to the backdoor when she heard the window being broken.

Local councillor and Cathaoirleach of Galway County Council, Michael Moegie Maher, said that the whole town was shocked over what had happened at the weekend.

“Local residents are very frightened and worried over what happened. It really is terrible that people are living in fear in their own homes.

“This was an appalling and deplorable act of endangerment which could have resulted in serious injury or loss of life. It has no place in a town like Loughrea.”

Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.