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Big fire in city centre

fricatus

Just when I was returning from KK at 6.20 this evening, there was a massive fire in progress down near Rice Bridge - I imagine not far from the junction of Thomas St and O'Connell St - and a big pall of smoke extending out over the river and across to Ferrybank. I looked up Thomas St as I was passing and it was just inky black - totally full of smoke.

There seemed also to be a whole bunch of fire engines rushing to the scene (as you'd imagine), but one was coming in the Dunmore Road, so I can only guess that it had been called in from Dunmore.

I just hope it was a derelict building, because it looked really bad. And seeing the smoke filling Thomas St, I must take my cap off to the firefighters. It takes b@lls to face that sort of thing. Let's hope there are no casualties.

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KevIRL

Its the U-Decor place beside Downses.

The fire is still raging and they are trying to control it. Hopefully it wont get into Downses.

mike65

KevIRL wrote: »

Hopefully it wont get into Downses.

Just heard it mentioned on Today Fm

Mike.

fricatus

KevIRL wrote: »

The fire is still raging and they are trying to control it. Hopefully it wont get into Downses.

:eek:

Holy sh1t! Let's hope not!

Although it might force them to clean up the place if it burned down, tee hee.

Floyd Soul

KevIRL wrote: »

Its the U-Decor place beside Downses.

The fire is still raging and they are trying to control it. Hopefully it wont get into Downses.

God forbid, the number nine would go boom

Sully

Ah sure, at least it will give a facelift to the street when they clean it up

And hey, Downses is nice the way it is. You dont get many places like it!

KevIRL

Sully wrote: »

Ah sure, at least it will give a facelift to the street when they clean it up

Bit harsh there Sully. People's busineses, jobs and livelihoods are gonna be affected by this. It appears as if there was injuries, so thats something at least. But I wouldnt be making jokes and wisecracks about it myself.

trishw78

don't you mean there were no injuries... The flames can be seen form the top of the hill at Abbey Park and smoke is blowing across the Rockshire Rd.

south

looking at the size of the fire i couldn't see Downses not been damaged by smoke if not fire? are the two not beside each other?

Sully

KevIRL wrote: »

Bit harsh there Sully. People's busineses, jobs and livelihoods are gonna be affected by this. It appears as if there was injuries, so thats something at least. But I wouldnt be making jokes and wisecracks about it myself.

I thought the building was derelict?

trishw78

Thankfully it has started raining... although the high winds may not have helped earlier

adebisi

Fire started in U Decor, at the mo, smoke damage to the Lounge part of Downes, fire has affected the back part, but it hasnt reached inside the bars (and hopefully will not) - firemen are trying to keep it out of Downes, as someone already mentioned, the whiskey still is a big worry.
When I was down there, the flames were reaching over the buildings, huge inferno, U Decor will be reduced to a ball of ash I'd say.

Here's some pics, excuse the crapness of them, taken on a phone...

adebisi

Forgot to say, it would be a sad sad day for Waterford to lose an establishment like Downes. Will not find any other place like it in the SE, if not Ireland.

Hopefully old Johnny will sort this out from on high and make sure the fire doesn't spread to the pub.

Sully

RTE have amateur footage. It doesn't work for me though. No reports of injuries.

Sully

Ill head down there in a while and take a few shots on the awl camera and try get a report of wtf is going on.

There are places like Downses, like Powers Pub in Tramore. You dont get places like that much, and those two are on the list of "different" pubs.

Minto

Just saw the video on the rte website. It looks like a fairly big fire alright.

lostexpectation

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0306/waterfordfire.wmv

KevIRL

trishw78 wrote: »

don't you mean there were no injuries... The flames can be seen form the top of the hill at Abbey Park and smoke is blowing across the Rockshire Rd.

Yep, typo there, I did mean no injuries

KevIRL

Sully wrote: »

I thought the building was derelict?

You Decor? Nope not at all.

Cabaal

**** thats not looking good at all,

Sully

Ill be back lads with photos. Ill see how close I can get.

mike65

Good luck Sully, hell I could go down (but won't).

Where is that footage from? Fire service or casual onlooker?

Mike.

KevIRL

Sully wrote: »

Ill be back lads with photos. Ill see how close I can get.

Personally I think it'd be better to just leave hem alone. There's people down there evacuated from flats, people watching their businesses go up in smoke. Im sure the last thing they need is a load of snap happy people around trying to close for good pics. There will be plenty of pictures in the papers I'm sure.

I lived on that street up till a couple of years ago, I cant imagine what the people there are going through tonight. Not a nice night to be evacuated from yer home either...

TheFlatulator

I used to live 2 doors down from U decor, there plenty of raw wood and saw dust in the so it will be hard to deal with, its such a pity about downes. Maybe ppl who frequented there can help out when the time comes.

TheFlatulator

mike65 pics look like they were take from the garden centre/ carpark there, the video seems to taken from penrose lane in the apartments up high there...

Mini

Just looking at the pictures that you guys have posted, it looks really terrible down there.

fair play to those brave fire fighters that are there tackling it, they are there from Kilkenny and Wexford as well.

The RTE news on Network 2 is going to show some footage from there also, just saw it on the headlines.

Whether buildings are destroyed or not it doesn't really matter as long as there are no injuries or casulaties from it. Buildings and belongings can be replaced.

Roen

Downes isn't damaged (on the surface anyway). The locals popped up to the Old Ground to have a pint and sit out the fire.

Was chatting to John there and he went down around 9-9:30 and had one at the bar in Downes to make sure everything was ok, he said the wall adjoining You Decor wasn't even warm.
Apart from the obvious intervention of the Fire Brigade, I reckon the strong wind blew the flames down hill and that's what helped save the pub.
The building down the road from Y D was being renovated for the past few years now and wasn't inhabited.

I think that's twice YD has caught fire now.

However, judging by the cracks that appear everytime some building work happens on that street the real damage may not be known for some time.

Well done to the lads from the various fire services, and to the Old Ground for having us

98MK1

Downes has escaped... minor smoke damage, the birth place of my teenage drinking lives on. Must head in there soon again.......

Daysha

Amazing photo MK. Last time I saw the town in smoke like that was at the hills over by the train station

Sully

KevIRL wrote: »

Personally I think it'd be better to just leave hem alone. There's people down there evacuated from flats, people watching their businesses go up in smoke. Im sure the last thing they need is a load of snap happy people around trying to close for good pics. There will be plenty of pictures in the papers I'm sure.

Iv a bit of experience with dealing with Emergency Services and know when its safe to take pictures etc. There well used to having journalists down there, and general public. I never get in the way, and the Fire Service are always polite and will kindly tell you if your pushing your luck.

Anyway, the area is swamped with Fire Service, Guards and Ambulance. There not letting anybody down for safety, and there isn't much to see from the road as its pitch black (street lights cut) and covered in emergency services. I got down just before Downses and most of the damage is to U Decor. Nothing to really take photos of as I was a bit back and it was hard to see.

I had a chat with some of the fire service who were taking a break. No idea of the source of the fire, some apartment blocks near it were evacuated. Witnesses say it was fine at 5.40. The footage on RTE is from the apartment directly across from it which I don't think were evacuated. Downses was closed on arrival, at about 6PM. If any damage, its water and smoke but very little. They wont be inspecting surrounding buildings until its fully out as at present there are many pockets of fire.

I assume portlarige will be on within the next few days to give us a decent update!

TheFlatulator

its good to hear that Downes escaped....

According to breaking news this happened as well to a place called Downes and U-Decor in Kilkenny city burned as well

http://breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhojkfsnsnid/