The son of the man killed in a firebomb attack in Waterford has claimed his father’s death is related to someone else’s €20,000 drug debt. 

Philip English was tragically pronounced dead alongside his wife, Kim, and their two children, Jayden and Callum, after being caught in a devastating blaze in their own home on Tuesday. 

Quickly launching an investigation into the tragic deaths, Gardaí revealed yesterday that a petrol bomb had been thrown at the front door of the house, possibly by a drug gang. 

Now, speaking out for the first time since the attack, Philip’s son John James English has alleged the killings were because of someone else’s drug debt. 

Mr English has claimed that he knows who was involved, telling RTÉ News that he is not afraid of the attackers. 

He stressed that his family were innocent people and had been murdered over someone else’s drug debt of €20,000. 

Mr English later alleged that the home of his mother, Ann English, who was Philip’s first wife, had also been petrol-bombed, according to RTÉ. 

Ann paid her respects at the scene today, stressing that she had no words for the tragedy and had lost her best friend. She described Philip, Kim and the children as a lovely family before urging people with any information to contact the gardaí. 

It is understood that there had been two other children in the Waterford home at the time of the attack, a 14-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy. They currently remain in critical condition in hospital. 

A GoFundMe page has since been launched in support of the English family as they deal with funeral costs and what organisers describe as an impossibly difficult time. 

The page quickly drew widespread support. At the time of writing, it has raised €39,237 of its €50,000 goal. 

The incident has left the tight-knit community of Birchwood reeling, with a support hub offering help to anyone affected at the Butler Community Centre in St John’s Park in Waterford city. 

People have also left flowers at the murder scene, paying their respects to the late family. 

The principal of Scoil Lorcain, Caroline Douris, and some of the teachers at the local primary school, said that two of the children attended the school as they came to pay their respects. 

Ms Douris described Callum as a beautiful child, emphasising that, like his brother Jayden, he was full of life. 

A number of community members gathered outside the house earlier today to release hundreds of balloons into the sky as a memorial for the victims. Family members sang You’ll Never Walk Alone as they were released. 

Gardaí have once again stressed that there are people in the community who know the attackers and have information regarding the incident, urging anyone to come forward. 

They later described the investigation as very active. It is understood tat multiple searches were carried out in Waterford last night, including at the homes of two significant criminal figures suspected of being involved in drugs and drug debt intimidation.