Fire causes extensive damage to Georgian house in Cork

Fire fighters in Cork have spent several hours fighting a blaze which has substantially damaged an elegant Georgian house that was being used as a conference centre by one of the city’s busiest hotels.

The alarm was raised at about 4.30am on Friday morning when fire was spotted at Fortwilliam House on the grounds of the Clayton Silver Springs Hotel at Lotabeg near Tivoli on the outskirts of the city and four units of Cork City Fire Brigade raced to the scene.

Over 20 firefighters spent several hours battling the blaze which was fanned by high winds making it difficult to contain. The firefighters remain at the scene which has resulted in substantial damage to the historic building.

Gardaí are hoping to be given the all clear by firefighters later on Friday to carry out a technical examination to try and establish the cause of the blaze, once the building is declared safe.

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Built around 1820, Fortwilliam is a listed Georgian building comprising two storeys over a basement and is one of several large south-facing houses constructed as the area, which overlooks the River Lee, was being developed in the early nineteenth century.

Fortwilliam is the second historic house to be damaged by fire in Cork this year following a blaze in July which badly damaged Vernon Mount in Frankfield on the southern hills overlooking the city.