A FIRE station gutted in an overnight blaze was not fitted with smoke alarms, officials confirmed yesterday.
The alert was raised at 4.15am, but the blaze had already taken hold.
Rathfriland fire station in Co Down was destroyed, as were two fire appliances at the building, and an investigation into the cause is now under way. The authorities said the building did not have a smoke alarm, however they denied this was unusual and repeated their recommendation that the public fit alarms in their homes.
Fire service area commander Don McKay said the local fire crew could only watch as their base was gutted by the blaze.
Support arrived from outside the area and 20 firefighters with four tenders battled with the blaze but could not save the station.
“It just goes to show that fire can attack anybody,” said Mr McKay. “We have measures in place to make sure that we have adequate fire cover in the area.
“So the local community need not worry – a fire appliance will arrive if they need one. The fire service, meanwhile, confirmed the building did not have a smoke alarm.
“There was no smoke alarm fitted at Rathfriland fire station. The primary purpose of a smoke alarm is to alert the occupants at the early stage of fire and give people early warning to plan their escape,” they said. “Smoke alarms do not prevent fires. Rathfriland . . . is a retained fire station with no sleeping accommodation.There would therefore be no one in the building . . . to be alerted to the fire by a smoke alarm.
Mr McKay told BBC Northern Ireland the incident was a little embarrassing. But he said it was not the first time a fire station had been damaged by fire and said it underlined how anyone could fall victim. – (PA)