‘It sounded like an army was out there, with repeated banging noises like gunfire’
THE depressingly acrid smell of smoke that hung heavy in the air around the Patrician Academy on Wednesday morning was reflected in the faces of the many people who had come to see for themselves the damage caused to the venerable Mallow institution.
Shocked teachers, pupils, parents and locals stared through the school gates in stunned disbelief as they tried to take in the sheer scale of the damage caused by the ferocious early morning blaze.
Among them was local man John Nason, whose house on Fair Street backs onto the Patrician Academy grounds.
Mr Nason said he had just gone upstairs after letting in his cat shortly after 3am when he heard what he described as “very loud banging noises” coming from the direction of the school.
“It sounded like an army was out there with repeated banging noises like gunfire, which I assumed was the windows bursting. Thankfully, the fire brigade was on the scene quickly and managed to contain the damage,” said Mr Nason.
“This is devastating for the local community, a very sad day for the town. It’s going to be difficult for the school to come up with the money to repair the damage,” he said.
Tom Cronin said he could hear noise from the blaze at his Ballyvintner home a mile away from the school at around 3.20am.
“Although I could not see anything, I could hear a loud noise like something crackling. It sounded like the noise you might hear when farmers burn straw. I got into my car and drove downtown. By that time the roof was a blazing inferno,” said Mr Cronin.
“I have been speaking to people at the gates, many of whom went to the Patrician, and they are shocked at the scale of the damage. This is very upsetting for the local community as there is so much history attached to the school.”
John Lucey, who taught at the Patrician Academy for 27 years, said the fire was “devastating” for the school, students and above all the people of Mallow.
“The community has invested a tremendous amount in terms of fundraising and has been very supportive of the school over the years. This has come as a real shock for Mallow and is very sad for all of us who have taught there and the many former pupils,” said Mr Lucey.
“The fire seems to have been contained to some degree and the walls of the damaged section are fairly solid so I have no doubt but that the school will rise again from the ashes of this terrible fire,” he added.
Former Patrician Academy pupil Sean Sherlock TD summed up the sentiments of many locals when he said “thankfully, no one was injured in the incident.”
Like Mr Lucy, Deputy Sherlock was confident the school would recover.
“This is a shock for the town and the school community but it is one we will get over and move ahead on,” he said.
“Work has already begun on the steps required and I have been in contact with the Department to ensure that there will be adequate provision for students in September.”