Fire at flat complex leaves five in hospital

Five people were admitted to hospital last night suffering from smoke inhalation and minor burns following a fire at a Dublin City Council flat complex, which was not fitted with smoke alarms or a fire escape.

The fire broke out in a ground floor flat at Ellis Court, Benburb Street, near the National Museum at Collins Barracks in the north inner city shortly after 7pm.

Seven units of Dublin Fire Brigade and three ambulances attended the blaze and ladders were used to rescue residents from the upper floors of the building.

Four residents were taken by ambulance to the Mater hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. One fireman was also taken to hospital after suffering minor burns.

While the fire was contained in the ground floor flat, smoke engulfed the entire building which had to be evacuated, Stephen Barriscale, the fire officer in charge at the scene, said.

Only seven people lived in the 1930's flat complex as Dublin City Council is in the process of moving tenants out before it begins a major refurbishment of the building.

Residents who were evacuated last night said they could not get out of the complex because there were no fire escapes and the door leading to the roof of the building had been locked by the council.

They were not aware of the smoke until it reached their upper floor flats, they said, because they had no smoke alarms.

The council's project estate officer for the area, Fran Devereux, who was at the scene, said the flats were "self-contained" and it was "up to the individual" to provide smoke alarms inside their flats, although the maintenance of the complex was the responsibility of the council.

The stairs leading to the roof were not a fire escape, Mr Devereux said, and had been locked for security reasons.

"There are no fire escapes at the moment, but the building is about to undergo refurbishment," he added.

Residents were unable to return to their homes last night, but were provided with emergency accommodation by the council.

Luas red line services from Tallaght to Connolly were suspended for around 90 minutes to allow fire engines access to the flat complex.