LUCKY OCCUPANTS RESCUED
A local man, Ger Condon, is being hailed as a hero along with firefighters from Mitchelstown and Fermoy who battled smoke and flames to rescue seven people from a burning apartment in Mitchelstown on Tuesday morning last.
The fire, in an apartment on Lower Cork Street, started in the early hours of the morning. The alarm was raised at 4.45am as a passerby noticed smoke billowing from an upstairs window.
When units of the Mitchelstown and the Fermoy fire brigades along with three ambulances arrived, they were quickly able to account for five of the occupants of the apartments. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus then entered the smoke-filled building and found two people trapped in another room.
Eyewitnesses have reported seeing the owner of the building, Ger Condon climbing across the roof to rescue people from the rear of the apartments. Mr Condon said he knew there were more people at the back of the building ‘and it was the quickest way to get to them’.
“At least no one was badly injured. I would like to thank the fire brigade and garda personnel for all their help and of course the neighbours for all their support,” he told The Avondhu.
Station officer, Micheal Carolan of Mitchelstown Fire Brigade, said it was lucky that everyone was evacuated.
“When we arrived there was thick black smoke and flames covering the upper floor of the building. We were lucky that we were able to get everybody out in time.”
Three people were taken to Cork University Hospital (CUH) suffering from the affects of smoke inhalation but all were discharged later that day. An investigation in to the causes of the blaze is ongoing but it is thought that candles placed by a window may have caused the blaze.
The fire also destroyed all the stock in Head Over Heels, the business premises immediately below the apartment. Lorraine Walsh, manager at Head Over Heels said all the stock was lost.
“We have lost all our stock because of water damage but we are just happy that no one was seriously hurt or killed.” The apartment was sealed off as fire investigation officers attempted to identify what might have caused the fire.
Published:
Thursday 21st May 7:55pm
