FIRE GUTS FORMER HEALTH CENTRE
INVESTIGATIONINTO EARLY MORNING BLAZE IN CARNEW
GARDAÍ in Carnew are investigating a serious fire at the old health centre in the town.
The incident took place in the early hours of last Wednesday morning and it is believed that the blaze was started intentionally. Gardaí say they have not made any arrests in the incident are following a definite line of inquiry.
Wicklow Fire Service crews from Carnew and Tinahely attended the scene.
The semi-derelict building, which was served as the local health centre before the new Carnew Primary Care Centre was opened, was well alight when emergency services arrived, with flames blazing through the roof.
‘Gardai and fire officers assessed the possibility of anyone being in the building as very low. Due to the fact that the fire was well developed and the roof of the building was considered at risk of collapsing, firefighting operations were from external positions initially. The Tinahely crew returned to base at 6 a.m. and the Carnew crew remained on site until 9 a.m. The Carnew crew returned to the site at 10.15 a.m. to damp down possible hot spots,’ a fire service spokesperson said.
After the fire was fully extinguished, the scene was handed over to gardaí for technical examination.
The blaze was not the only malicious damage discussed in Carnew over the weekend.
At the annual Blessing of the Graves in Tomacork, Parish Priest Fr Martin Casey took the opportunity to call on the community to report any incidents of vandalism or damage at the local hall, church or graveyard to the gardaí.
Fr Casey told this newspaper that he did not wish to comment outside of his remarks at the ceremony on Sunday and said that it was a matter for the gardaí.
It is understood that there have been several incidents of grafitti and damage happening locally in recent months, including a break-in at the hall during which the fire extinguisher was set off.
Fr Casey had expressed concern that if any damage was caused to headstones, the parish insurance would not cover the cost of repair.
A garda spokesperson said that a number of incidents had been reported over the past year to 18 months but said that they do not consider them an ongoing problem within the community.