‘Rocked’ St Dogmaels villagers have come together to grieve for a much-loved couple who died in a tragic house fire.

Emergency services were called to the blaze in Church Lane at about 1.30am on Sunday morning (11 December) after reports from panicked residents.

It triggered an enormous response from the community with businesses and shaken villagers coming forward to support 11 people who were evacuated from their homes due to fears over leaking gas.

The well-known husband and wife, both thought to be in their 50s, have been named in the community but have not been formally identified as their next of kin are informed.

Pembrokeshire county councillor, Mike James, attempted to hold back tears as he told the Cambrian News his two lifelong friends would be ‘very sadly missed’.

Villagers spoke of how they frantically tried to contact the ‘inseparable’ couple but couldn’t reach them.

Tributes have already been left by what remains of their home, and a meeting was held at the community-owned White Hart Inn where the village’s vicar delivered a 'moving' prayer and other residents paid respects.

Cllr James, a lifelong resident of the close-knit village, said: “When the tragedy happened, the police said they had to evacuate everybody in the street, and they phoned the White Hart Community Inn to see if they could open up so that everybody could be kept in the same place.

“So, the evacuees went there and there was a big log fire waiting for them. Pots of coffee, pots of tea and blankets. There were some elderly people there who, we soon found out, needed medication – so they had to be looked after.

“The next step was to find accommodation for the 11 people that needed to be rehoused and that was done in a very short time. People were most accommodating, and I must say that I already thought this village was a very strong community, but I’ve got a feeling now it’s even stronger. Because incidences like this bring people together.

“All the businesses offered their help. The fish and chip shop offered warm meals for anybody for free. The local pub, The Ferry Inn, offered everybody Sunday lunches for free. Then the Teifi Waterside Inn offered free accommodation on the Sunday night if anybody (who had been evacuated) wanted it.

“So, everybody got together, and we are now an even stronger community – it's just unfortunate it is in such tragic circumstances.”

Reverend Elizabeth Rowe, who was praised by villagers for her address at the White Hart Pub last night, told the Cambrian News: “This terrible tragedy – in which we’ve lost such dear lives in our community - has really deeply been felt here in St Dogmaels.

“There’s a feeling among the community of such loss but also an immediate sense of coming together and offering help to people who need it. The church is open to anyone who needs support.

A worker from Premier Stores in the high street said: “The sense of community spirit is so high.

“People want to help those in need even though their worlds have been rocked by this.

"The community has stepped up – as it did during Covid as well – and has shown how much it cares.

“They were well-known to a large proportion of the village. We did our best to contact them, obviously without managing to.

“I would expect a lot of people banding together to support each other in grief and shock from the incident.

“The village has experienced quite a lot of loss in the last few years."

Tracy Knight, who runs the White Hart Community Inn, didn’t hesitate to open the pub to evacuees in the early hours of Sunday morning after an appeal from the police.

She told the Cambrian News: “I can’t speak for the community, but I think we’re all in a state of shock. It’s a terrible tragedy.

It was an honour to be able to give those people a safe space, not only the displaced but for those absolutely terrified for the outcome.

“And this village pulls together as it always does. We take care of our own."

Dyfed-Powys Police today released an update, which said: “The investigation into the cause of the fire is continuing with Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service investigators and Dyfed-Powys Police crime scene investigators at the property today.

"The fire is currently being treated as unexplained.

"Everyone who was evacuated from neighbouring properties were able to return to their homes last night."