Firefighters in Cork had to deal with a major fire yesterday when a textile plant on the north side of the city was gutted. Several units of Cork city fire brigade fought the blaze at the Sunbeam industrial estate at Blackpool, in which a number of businesses are located. Louise Geaney reports.
The fire, which could be seen for miles around, broke out shortly after 2 p.m and brought traffic to a standstill on the main Cork to Mallow road.
The Refond textile plant was engulfed in flames within minutes of the fire breaking out at a bottom-floor dye room and it quickly spread to an adjoining building, the former Sunbeam plant.
As well as manufacturing a line of ski-wear for export to Norway, Refond is also involved in the manufacture of bedding and rugs.
Cork fire brigade arrived at the scene within minutes and began to douse the fire for fear it might spread to a nearby paint factory. Emergency services evacuated people from the area. Petrol stations along the Mallow Road were closed.
Workers and management at the plant looked on as their place of work was destroyed.
"We were just finishing our lunch in the canteen when we noticed the sky through the Perspex ceiling," Refond's Ms Caroline Costello said. "It had been lovely and sunny, but then suddenly turned totally black. We then noticed smoke coming up from the warehouse below and somebody hit the fire alarm."
According to Ms Costello, employees immediately put fire drill procedures into practice, with supervisors taking a head count to ensure every employee was evacuated safely from the building.
"Everybody just dropped everything and left. People have left their bags and car keys inside, so they can't move their cars from the estate now. It just went up so quickly, the wind really took the flames and gutted the place. We're just thankful everybody got out alive and is okay," she added.
Just behind the textile plant,the fire ravaged the original Sunbeam building.
A listed building with more than 200 years of history attached to it, the Sunbeam building has been unoccupied for a number of years but was used as a store room by Refond.
Local alderman Mr Dave McCarthy said: "Everybody here is shocked and totally devastated. People are crying as they can see part of their heritage destroyed. The community has a relationship with the Sunbeam - everybody has somebody who works or used to work there down through the years.
"My wife and her six sisters worked there, as did my grandmother who started there at the age of 12.
"It's a sad day for the area," he added.
A spokesman for the fire brigade described yesterday's fire as the one of the biggest they had to deal with yet and said it was a "miracle" there were no fatalities.
Firefighters continued to deal with the blaze late yesterday evening.
A pall of smoke lingered over Cork for much of the night.