Gardaí investigate fire at vacant building in Co Galway village

Blaze at building in Williamstown village caused extensive damage

Fire services and gardaí responded to a fire at a vacant building in Williamstown, Co Galway, on Friday morning. File photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times
Fire services and gardaí responded to a fire at a vacant building in Williamstown, Co Galway, on Friday morning. File photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times

Gardaí are investigating the cause of a fire at a building in Co Galway.

The blaze at the building in Williamstown village was brought under control by fire fighters early on Friday morning. The building is divided into a number of sections, including one used as a credit union.

The scene has been sealed off and will be examined in a bid to determine the cause of the fire. While the investigation was in its initial stages on Friday, it appears the blaze caused extensive damage to sections of the building, including upstairs, that do not house the credit union.

In reply to queries, Garda headquarters confirmed its personnel had responded, with fire fighters, after reports of the blaze were received.

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“The fire was extinguished and no injuries were reported. The scene is currently preserved for examination. The cause of the fire has yet to be established. Enquiries are ongoing,” it said.*

*This article was amended on December 12th, 2024. An earlier version incorrectly stated that the building had been earmarked to house international protection applicants. Representatives of the company which purchased the building in 2023 have contacted us to say that while the building was to house people seeking temporary protection, that did not in fact proceed and that it has never been intended to use the building for International Protection applicants.

Conor Lally

Conor Lally

Conor Lally is Security and Crime Editor of The Irish Times