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Investigation into naval building fire GARDAÍ
and military police have launched an investigation into the cause of a
fire which caused an estimated ?1million worth of damage to an historic
Naval Service building.
The blaze also wiped out almost five years of priceless marine research.
The fire in the 19th century building on Haulbowline Island in Cork raged
for almost five hours before being brought under control.
It gutted the four-storey building which housed the Naval Service administrative
section and a university marine research unit.
The research unit lost all its specialist equipment in the fire as well
as data and findings painstakingly compiled over almost five years of
marine projects.
Navy firefighting teams were supported by fire brigade units from Carrigaline,
Crosshaven and Cork and a firefighting tug amid fears that high winds
could sweep the flames on to the fuel bunkers used to replenish navy ships.
At one stage the flames were visible across the harbour in nearby Cobh
where crowds had gathered to watch.
The building was unoccupied when the fire broke out and no-one was injured.
The fire is the second major blaze on Haulbowline Island in recent years.
In 2001 a fire destroyed an administrative block on the former Irish Steel-Irish
Ispat site.
One man died in the Irish Ispat fire when he was trapped inside the burning
office complex. |
