Residents of a city centre flat complex were made temporarily homeless last night after a fire broke out and damaged a number of apartments in two blocks of the complex.
A total of 26 units in the Iveagh Trust complex on New Bride Street were evacuated after the fire broke out at 6.30pm last night. Thankfully, nobody was injured in the fire.
Tenants of the Trust, which was founded by the Guinness family and offers affordable accommodation to those on lower incomes, were put up in hotels, by family members and by the Trust itself last night. A "small number of flats" were water and fire damaged.
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It is unclear when residents will return to their apartments but the Trust said they expect a "significant" number will return "shortly". Some residents have had their belongings destroyed as a result.
One resident, who was not there the night of the fire, told Dublin Live they were "in shock" following the fire and that all of their belongings are water damaged. They have been offered accommodation in a family hub centre.
She said: "I am still in shock. I don't know [when I'll be moved back in], we'll have to wait and see. There are a lot of families there.
"They are trying their best to find them somewhere [to stay]. I wouldn't be able to [find accommodation]. I wouldn't know what to do.
"I walked into the flat and I didn't know what to take. Everything belonging to me is up there - TVs and everything. It all has been water damaged after water was pouring down the ceiling and all."
A spokesman from The Iveagh Trust told Dublin Live there were no injuries reported and that damage was "confined to a small number of flats". He added that an investigation to the cause of the fire has been launched.
He said: "A fire broke-out at approximately 6.30pm yesterday evening affecting Block E and a section of Block D in the Iveagh Trust’s Kevin Street estate. No other blocks were affected.
"The fire alarm activated as expected and all residents evacuated without incident, with support from the Trust’s estate staff. Thankfully nobody was injured.
"The damage is confined to a small number of flats and we are working to assess the extent. Alternative accommodation was found for all residents last night, either with family, friends or within the Trust’s housing stock.
"While the fire damage was limited, there was more widespread water damage, and the fire required the power supply to be cut to both blocks. We expect that a significant number of residents should be able to return to their homes shortly and we await the result of various surveys and safety checks.
"A section of E Block only has suffered fire/water damage, and a small number of flats in D Block have suffered water-damage only. The cause of the fire has not been established at this stage, and is under investigation.
"The majority of residents stayed with family or friends last night and a number were also accommodated elsewhere within the Iveagh Trust’s housing stock. We are working hard to make additional units available from within the Trust’s housing stock should they be required and no accommodation from Dublin City Council was required last night."
Independent Councillor Mannix Flynn told Dublin Live: "I am delighted that nobody was seriously injured. It is very unfortunate and devastating for the families.
"I think Dublin City Council behaved exceptionally well and Dublin Fire Brigade have to be commended for the work that they do. The Iveagh trust have serious questions to answer here in relation to how this fire happened and the manner in which they treated the tenants who were evacuated and the protocols around that.
"My thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost homes and all of their possessions and who are now scattered to the four comers of Dublin in a very difficult situation where accommodation is very rare."
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