Dublin Fire Brigade crews remain at the scene of a major blaze which has gutted at least five upper floors of Ballymun's Metro Hotel.

Firefighters wearing specialist breathing aparatus are making their way through the hotel, to dampen down flames and extinguish hot spots.

The fire broke out at around 8pm in a private residence on the 13th floor above the rooms for hotel guests, but soon spread to other floors.

Several units of Dublin Fire Brigade are tackling the blaze at Ballymun’s Metro Hotel pic.twitter.com/iGKhkQEHYq — RTÉ News (@rtenews) March 21, 2018

Garda traffic diversions are in place around the area which are expected to cause disruption for motorists during the morning.

We'll have 4 fire engines on scene at the #BallymunFire overnight to damp down & extinguish hot spots. Road closures are likely to affect traffic in the morning #Dublin #fire #Ballymun @DCCTraffic @aaroadwatch pic.twitter.com/qewyJlUvHV — Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) March 22, 2018

Around 150 guests were staying in the hotel at the time, and all have been accounted for, along with all those living in the hotel.

The hotel guests have been relocated to the nearby Carlton Hotel for the evening.

A spokesperson for the Dublin Region Homeless Executive has confirmed there were no homeless families being accommodated at the hotel.

The hotel was used as temporary, homeless accommodation in recent years, but there are no families living there currently.

The Peter McVerry Trust also said that there were no homeless families staying there who had booked their own accommodation.

#Ballymun UPDATE: 8 fire engines, 2 aerial appliances, emergency tender, foam tender, command units and senior officers at scene. Firefighters using breathing apparatus inside hotel to search & extinguish #BallymunFire #Dublin #fire pic.twitter.com/dh8xnFgMRj — Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) March 21, 2018

RTÉ’s Aengus Cox reports from the scene of the Ballymun fire pic.twitter.com/tsqm5XV6Jv — RTÉ News (@rtenews) March 21, 2018

One witness told RTÉ News that the fire broke out in the room 1303, which was next door to his own room.

He said he looked out on the balcony and saw flames in the room, and then went to tell reception and the fire service.</s>Dublin’s chief fire officer has insisted the nature of the fire at the Metro Hotel in Ballymun is not comparable to the Grenfell Tower blaze that killed 71 people last year.

Speaking at the scene on Thursday morning Patrick Flemming said the UK incident was related to cladding on the building while this was not an issue in the Irish case.

“One of the messages I would like to get through to people today who may be afraid by having seen a fire like this and they are living in apartments or [are] tenants or own apartments, that this was not a Grenfell Tower type of incident and the second thing is it is very, very important if you are living in an apartment to be fire safety aware,” he said.

The hotel apologised in a statement to hotel patrons and guests saying the hotel would remain closed for some time following the fire.

“All hotel guests (over 150) as well as the residents of 30 apartments attached to the hotel are accounted for and were relocated to the nearby Carlton Hotel for the night,” it said.

"The key focus of hotel staff today is to notify inbound guests and to source alternative accommodation for tenants and guests, with whom we will be liaising throughout today.

"Unfortunately, guest and tenant access to personal belongings located in the hotel / apartments is restricted until clearance is received from emergency services. We will provide regular updates as they become available.”

It said the cause of the fire was still being investigated and no decision could be made about a re-opening date until the cause of the fire had been established “and all safety considerations have been thoroughly assessed.”

Seven minutes

Dublin Fire Brigade received a call to respond to the incident at 8.13pm with 60 fire fighters and eight engines responding within seven minutes.

No cause of the fire has yet been identified but Mr Flemming said there was nothing to suggest it was suspicious at this stage. Gardaí will take the lead in the investigation, he said.

The morning after the Ballymun hhotel fire. Photograph: Mark Hilliard/The Irish Times

The fire brigade responds to the blaze at the Metro Hotel in Ballymun. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times

However, for those who live in the high rise – which is a mixture of private apartments and hotel rooms – repair works are likely to take months.

“I think we are talking much longer than [a period of weeks],” Mr Flemming said.

“The damage that the fire has done, and there is also a lot of water damage to the building as well, and the structural elements of the building will have to be looked at. There is a lot of work to be done to this building now.”

We'll have 4 fire engines on scene at the #BallymunFire overnight to damp down & extinguish hot spots. Road closures are likely to affect traffic in the morning #Dublin #fire #Ballymun @DCCTraffic @aaroadwatch pic.twitter.com/qewyJlUvHV — Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) March 22, 2018

Apartments on both the thirteenth floor, where the blaze broke out, and the tenth floor were destroyed while in the floors between were badly damaged.

About 150 people were evacuated during the operation. Fire fighters increased water pressure at the site and they also received back up water supplies from the airport fire service.

“There is always a problem fighting a fire like this in a high rise building externally because the wind has a huge impact both on the fire itself but also on our ability to get water on it but it wasn’t an issue for us in this fire,” Mr Flemming said.

He described it as probably one of the biggest fires they have dealt with in a high rise building in recent times.

Local Labour councillor Andrew Montague said the fire appeared to have spread in a downward direction due to falling debris.

“A few people were watching it from the start and they could see it happening,” he said.

“Things were falling down and it (the fire) skipped floors.”

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar offered his sympathies to people affected by the fire.

“I know some people have lost belongings and lost their personal effects. Thankfully nobody was injured or killed,” he told reporters as he arrived at the European Council in Brussels.

Reports received so far showed the evacuation protocols and containment measures within the building ensured the fire did not spread, he said. “So it’s nothing at all like the Grenfell Tower,” he said.

Mr Varadkar said that there would be a Garda and Dublin Fire Brigade investigation into the fire. He thanked the emergency services for all that they did overnight and this morning.

‘Shocked and worried’

Syed Haider (27) and Hunnain Haider (23), who are both from Pakistan, were evacuated from an apartment on the 8th floor. The students, studying at the College of Computer and Technology, Westmoreland Street, said they heard a knock on the door and it was hotel staff evacuating residents.

They heard the fire alarm go off but thought it was a “check-up”, the brothers said. They believe there were 30 people evacuated.

“We are shocked and worried about our documents, our passports,” the students said. They have been studying and staying at the hotel for two years.

The hotel is organising accommodation at the nearby Crowne Plaza hotel for the night, they said.

Guests at the hotel, Lynn Trautmann and her husband Ted from Chicago, said they had arrived back from dinner in the city and found they could not get access to the building.

“We looked up and saw the hotel was on fire,” Ms Trautmann said.

“They are not shooting water on my floor, so I hope my camera is saved. I’m a photographer and that’s the only thing I’m worried about.”

The couple were in Dublin to visit their son, who is in UCD, and were due to fly home tomorrow.

“We are not sure what will happen now,” they said.

Local resident Stephen O’Leary, who lives across the road from the hotel, said he was returning from the shops and saw families wrapped in blankets and the fire brigade.

“I saw fires before when the towers were here, but I’ve never seen anything like this,” he said.

“I hope everybody got out okay. It seems like everybody was evacuated very fast.”

Taxi driver Patrick Canning said he had just dropped someone to the hotel a few minutes before the fire.

“I was lucky to get out when I did because I was parked where the debris is falling five minutes prior,” he said.</s>Share this article with Google Plus

A massive fire has erupted in the top floors of a hotel in Dublin.

Several floors of the complex in Ballymun near Dublin Airport were engulfed in flames as crews battled to stop it spreading.

Dublin Fire Brigade has so far reported no casualties or missing people.

The Metro Hotel building is made up of hotel rooms on the lower floors and flats on the upper floors.

The building is sometimes used to accommodate families in need of housing.

Witness Anthony Flynn said he did not believe anyone was still trapped inside the burning building.

‘It looks like everybody is out of the hotel,’ he said. ‘There are no reported injuries at this stage.’

Mr Flynn, a co-founder of the Inner City Helping Homeless organisation, said pieces of debris could be seen flying from the building in scenes similar to Grenfell Tower.

He said he understood no homeless families were currently housed in the building.

He added: ‘We are looking at the top seven floors that appear to be alight. It seems to be spreading like mad. It’s exactly what it looked like at Grenfell. It appears to have started on the top two floors but has spread downwards and upwards.’

As well as the large Dublin Fire Brigade presence, gardai and ambulance crews were also on site.

Erica Fleming, whose apartment overlooks the hotel said she could see and hear windows exploding from the heat.

‘One of the apartments is completely engulfed,’ she said.

‘There is smoke belllowing up through the floors.

‘The windows exploded about 20 minutes ago, obviously from the heat.

‘The windows of other apartments are just completely blackened out. You cannot see the corridor or landings.

‘I can see the fire crews dragging the hoses through the building. They are still two floors below but they are making their way up slowly.’

Ms Fleming, a mother of one and student, also said she believed she could see people being evacuated from a few floors below the seat of the fire.

‘There is also a lot of debris falling out the windows.’

Dublin city councillor Paul McAuliffe said he believed everyone had been evacuated safely.

‘We understand from the hotel staff that all of the people living in the accommodation and residents of the hotel got out safely,’ he said.</s>A major fire has broken out in the upper floors of a hotel and apartment block building in Dublin.

Several floors of the complex in Ballymun near Dublin Airport were engulfed in flames on Wednesday night as at least eight fire crews battled to stop the blaze spreading.

The Dublin Fire Brigade said there were no reports of injuries or missing people.

It tweeted at 10.45pm: “It is important for us to give out correct and factual information.

“As of yet we have no reports of any casualties or people unaccounted for.”

The Metro Hotel building compromises hotel rooms on the lower floors and residential apartments on the upper floors.

The building is sometimes used to accommodate families in housing need.

Witness Anthony Flynn said he did not believe anyone was still trapped inside the burning building.

“It looks like everybody is out of the hotel,” he said. “There are no reported injuries at this stage.”

Mr Flynn, a co-founder of the Inner City Helping Homeless organisation, said pieces of debris could be seen flying from the blazing building in scenes similar to the Grenfell Tower tragedy in London.

He said he understood no homeless families were currently housed in the building.

He added: “We are looking at the top seven floors that appear to be alight. It seems to be spreading like mad. It’s exactly what it looked like at Grenfell. It appears to have started on the top two floors but has spread downwards and upwards.”

As well as the large Dublin Fire Brigade presence, gardai and ambulance crews were also on site.

Erica Fleming, whose apartment overlooks the hotel said she could see and hear windows exploding as a result of the heat.

“One of the apartments is completely engulfed.

“There is smoke belllowing up through the floors.

“The windows exploded about 20 minutes ago, obviously from the heat.

“The windows of other apartments are just completely blackened out. You cannot see the corridor or landings.

“I can see the fire crews dragging the hoses through the building. They are still two floors below but they are making their way up slowly.”

Ms Fleming, a mother of one and student, also said she believed she could see people being evacuated from a few floors below the seat of the fire.

“There is also a lot of debris falling out the windows.”

Dublin city councillor Paul McAuliffe said he believed everyone had been evacuated safely.

“We understand from the hotel staff that all of the people living in the accommodation and residents of the hotel got out safely,” he said.

“We believe everyone got out safely.

“Windows and cladding are peeling off the building and falling down onto the side wing where the hotel is.

“Dublin Fire Brigade are doing their best to make sure the fire doesn’t spread from the upper levels down onto the broader-based hotel parts of the building.”

The Fianna Fail representative added: “Windows are exploding and fire and debris are billowing out the side of the building.

“This is going to leave a major scar on the landscape of Ballymun.”

Ireland’s Housing minister Eoghan Murphy tweeted: “I want to thank @DubFireBrigade who continue to battle a major fire at the Metro Hotel in Ballymun under difficult conditions. We are monitoring the situation closely.”</s>Share this article with Google Plus

The rapid spread of fire through the upper floors of a hotel and apartment block building in Dublin poses ‘serious questions’, a local politician has said.

More than 60 firefighters from eight crews were needed to battle the major blaze at the complex in Ballymun near Dublin Airport which broke out on Wednesday night.

Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB) said crews were remaining at the scene into Thursday morning to ensure the fire was completely extinguished.

Images showed that parts of the complex, the upper floors of which are residential apartments, were charred and blackened.

There were no reports of injuries or missing people from the building, which is sometimes used to accommodate families in housing need.

Local Fianna Fail councillor Paul McAuliffe said the blaze was ‘one of the most significant fires in the Dublin area in recent times’.

‘Its cause and the spread of it in such a rapid way are going to have to be investigated,’ he told the Press Association.

‘Dublin Fire Brigade have that capacity to investigate these fires. We want to see the results of it and I imagine there will be serious questions asked.’

DFB announced on Twitter at around 9.45pm that it was attending a fire at an address in Ballymun.

Witness Anthony Flynn, a co-founder of the Inner City Helping Homeless organisation, said the fire seemed to spread ‘like mad’ in scenes reminiscent of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

Erica Fleming, whose apartment overlooks the hotel, said she could see and hear windows exploding as a result of the heat.

Ireland’s Housing minister Eoghan Murphy tweeted that he was ‘monitoring the situation closely’.

Dublin West TD Roisin Shortall praised the fire services on Twitter for their ‘excellent and brave work’.

The Metro Hotel building comprises hotel rooms on the lower floors and residential apartments on the upper floors.</s>Up to eight fire engines are fighting a blaze at a Dublin hotel tower block tonight, which has set alight around the top six storeys of the building.

The fire broke out about 7.30pm at the 15-storey Metro hotel in Ballymun in the north of the Irish capital. It is not yet known if the upper storeys of the hotel were occupied at the time the fire broke out.

The hotel had been used as emergency accommodation for some of Dublin’s homeless. But a spokesperson for the Dublin Region Homeless Executive has confirmed there were no homeless families being accommodated at the hotel.

It is understood that the building has been evacuated since the fire erupted this evening.

The Irish police – the Garda Síochána – have sealed off the area around the hotel in Ballymun and said traffic diversions are now in place. The hotel is a short drive from Dublin airport.



Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan tweeted: “Hearing reports of bad fire at Metro Hotel Ballymun, really hope everyone is out of the building and safe.”

Erica Fleming, whose apartment overlooks the hotel, said she could see and hear windows exploding as a result of the heat. 

“One of the apartments is completely engulfed. There is smoke billowing up through the floors,” she said.

“The windows exploded about 20 minutes ago, obviously from the heat. The windows of other apartments are just completely blackened out. You cannot see the corridor or landings.

“I can see the fire crews dragging the hoses through the building. They are still two floors below but they are making their way up slowly.” Fleming, a mother of one and a student, also said she believed she could see people being evacuated from a few floors below the seat of the fire. “There is also a lot of debris falling out the windows.”

The Dublin fire brigade said there were no reports of injuries or missing people at this stage. It tweeted: “It is important for us to give out correct and factual information. As of yet we have no reports of any casualties or people unaccounted for.”</s>The rapid spread of fire through the upper floors of a hotel and apartment block building in Dublin poses “serious questions”, a local politician has said.

The rapid spread of fire through the upper floors of a hotel and apartment block building in Dublin poses “serious questions”, a local politician has said.

More than 60 firefighters from eight crews were needed to battle the major blaze at the complex in Ballymun near Dublin Airport which broke out on Wednesday night.

Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB) said crews were remaining at the scene into Thursday morning to ensure the fire was completely extinguished. Images showed that parts of the complex, the upper floors of which are residential apartments, were charred and blackened.

There were no reports of injuries or missing people from the building, which is sometimes used to accommodate families in housing need. We'll have 4 fire engines on scene at the #BallymunFire overnight to damp down & extinguish hot spots. Road closures are likely to affect traffic in the morning #Dublin #fire #Ballymun @DCCTraffic @aaroadwatch pic.twitter.com/qewyJlUvHV — Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) March 22, 2018 Local Fianna Fail councillor Paul McAuliffe said the blaze was “one of the most significant fires in the Dublin area in recent times”.

“Its cause and the spread of it in such a rapid way are going to have to be investigated,” he told the Press Association. “Dublin Fire Brigade have that capacity to investigate these fires. We want to see the results of it and I imagine there will be serious questions asked.”

Hat seriously comes off to the lads and ladies @DFBAmbulance and @DubFireBrigade and not to forget @gardainfo who put a serious operation in place in a matter of minutes surrounding the #BallymunFire. Definitely do not get enough credit! pic.twitter.com/MAF47Mj7qp — Anthony Flynn (@AnthonyICHH) March 22, 2018 DFB announced on Twitter at around 9.45pm that it was attending a fire at an address in Ballymun. Witness Anthony Flynn, a co-founder of the Inner City Helping Homeless organisation, said the fire seemed to spread “like mad” in scenes reminiscent of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

Erica Fleming, whose apartment overlooks the hotel, said she could see and hear windows exploding as a result of the heat.

I want to thank @DubFireBrigade who continue to battle a major fire at the Metro Hotel in Ballymun under difficult conditions. We are monitoring the situation closely. — Eoghan Murphy (@MurphyEoghan) March 21, 2018 Ireland’s Housing minister Eoghan Murphy tweeted that he was “monitoring the situation closely”.

Dublin West TD Roisin Shortall praised the fire services on Twitter for their “excellent and brave work”. Excellent and brave work from the Dublin Fire Brigade for bringing the fire in the Ballymun Metro hotel under control and all residents are accounted for. Much gratitude to all involved. — Roisin Shortall (@RoisinShortall) March 21, 2018 The Metro Hotel building comprises hotel rooms on the lower floors and residential apartments on the upper floors.</s>A FIRE is raging in a high-rise hotel in Dublin, Ireland, and fire services say they don’t yet know if anyone is trapped inside.

Irish media is reporting the fire appears to have started in a mid-level floor of the 15-storey Metro Hotel in Ballymun. Witnesses say it has spreading through the building’s top five or six floors

Early reports showed flames erupting from the balcony of at least one well-ablaze apartment. This soon spread to other rooms, with debris raining to the street below.

Dublin’s fire service is in attendance, and nearby roads have been sealed.

Dublin Fire Brigade tweeted: “Five fire engines, turntable ladder and command units are dealing with a fire in a premises in #Ballymun. Road closures at Santry Cross as we deal with the fire.” It’s since updated to say eight are now fighting the blaze, with another three on call.

MORE TO COME</s>A FIRE is raging in a high-rise hotel in Dublin, Ireland.

Early reports suggest the building's occupants were safely evacuated, but an assessment is yet to be completed as firefighters continue to fight their way through burning apartments.

The blaze appears to have been part contained, though spot fires continue to flicker through thick black smoke.

Irish media is reporting the fire appears to have started in a mid-level floor of the 15-storey Metro Hotel in Ballymun. It then spread through the building's top five or six floors.

"We believe everyone got out safely", Dublin city councillor Noeleen Reilly said in a tweet.

Early reports showed flames erupting from the balcony of at least one well-ablaze apartment. This soon spread to other rooms, with debris raining to the street below.

Dublin's fire service is in attendance, and nearby roads have been sealed.

Dublin Fire Brigade tweeted: "Five fire engines, turntable ladder and command units are dealing with a fire in a premises in #Ballymun. Road closures at Santry Cross as we deal with the fire." It's since updated to say eight are fighting the blaze, supported by command units, a foam tender and an emergency tender. Two helicopters are illuminating the building.

MORE TO COME</s>A major fire has broken out in the upper floors of a hotel and apartment block building in Dublin.

Several floors of the complex in Ballymun near Dublin Airport were engulfed in flames on Wednesday night as at least eight fire crews battled to stop the blaze spreading.

There were no initial reports of any injuries, with witnesses expressing hope that everyone had been evacuated safely.

The Metro Hotel building compromises hotel rooms on the lower floors and residential apartments on the upper floors.

The building is sometimes used to accommodate families in housing need.

Witness Anthony Flynn said he did not believe anyone was still trapped inside the burning building.

"It looks like everybody is out of the hotel," he said. "There are no reported injuries at this stage."

Mr Flynn, a co-founder of the Inner City Helping Homeless organisation, said pieces of debris could be seen flying from the blazing building in scenes similar to the Grenfell Tower tragedy in London.

He said he understood no homeless families were currently housed in the building.

He added: "We are looking at the top seven floors that appear to be alight. It seems to be spreading like mad. It's exactly what it looked like at Grenfell. It appears to have started on the top two floors but has spread downwards and upwards."

As well as the large Dublin Fire Brigade presence, gardai and ambulance crews were also on site.

Erica Fleming, whose apartment overlooks the hotel said she could see and hear windows exploding as a result of the heat.

"One of the apartments is completely engulfed.

"There is smoke belllowing up through the floors.

"The windows exploded about 20 minutes ago, obviously from the heat.

"The windows of other apartments are just completely blackened out. You cannot see the corridor or landings.

"I can see the fire crews dragging the hoses through the building. They are still two floors below but they are making their way up slowly."

Ms Fleming, a mother of one and student, also said she believed she could see people being evacuated from a few floors below the seat of the fire.

"There is also a lot of debris falling out the windows."

Dublin city councillor Paul McAuliffe said he believed everyone had been evacuated safely.

"We understand from the hotel staff that all of the people living in the accommodation and residents of the hotel got out safely," he said.

"We believe everyone got out safely.

"Windows and cladding are peeling off the building and falling down onto the side wing where the hotel is.

"Dublin Fire Brigade are doing their best to make sure the fire doesn't spread from the upper levels down onto the broader-based hotel parts of the building."

The Fianna Fail representative added: "Windows are exploding and fire and debris are billowing out the side of the building.

"This is going to leave a major scar on the landscape of Ballymun."

Update 10.22pm: Dublin city councillor Paul McAuliffe said he believed everyone had been evacuated safely as eight fire engines are tackling a fire in Ballymun.

"We understand from the hotel staff that all of the people living in the accommodation and residents of the hotel got out safely," he said.

"We believe everyone got out safely."

He said at least five floors were still engulfed in flames at 10pm.

"Windows and cladding are peeling off the building and falling down onto the side wing where the hotel is," he said.

"Dublin Fire Brigade are doing their best to make sure the fire doesn't spread from the upper levels down onto the broader-based hotel parts of the building."

The Fianna FÃ¡il representative added: "Windows are exploding and fire and debris are billowing out the side of the building.

"This is going to leave a major scar on the landscape of Ballymun."

It is understood the building comprises hotel rooms and private rental apartments. The fire is centred on the apartments.

Witness Anthony Flynn also said he did not believe anyone was still trapped inside the burning building.

"It looks like everybody is out of the hotel," he said. "There are no reported injuries at this stage."

The hotel is sometimes used to accommodate homeless people.

Mr Flynn, a co-founder of the Inner City Helping Homeless organisation, said pieces of debris could be seen flying from the blazing building in scenes similar to the Grenfell Tower tragedy in London.

He added: "At the moment, we are looking at the top seven floors that appear to be alight. It seems to be spreading like mad. It's exactly what it looked like at Grenfell. It appears to have started on the top two floors but has spread downwards and upwards."

Mr Flynn said eight fire crews and a number of ambulances were on site. A large cordon has also been put in place around the scene.

He said: "There seems to be a pretty big cordon. Everybody seems to have got out OK."

Update 9.58pm: Homeless Dublin has announced that there were no families in emergency accommodation in the Metro Hotel in Ballybun when the fire broke out.

It had earlier been reported that the hotel had been used to accommodate homeless families, but Inner City Helping Homeless have stated that there were no homeless in the hotel for the past 12 months.

Update 9.08pm: Eight fire engines are now on the scene at a fire in Ballymun.

Dublin Fire Brigade has said that advanced paramedics and other specialist appliances are on the scene. They are asking the public to avoid the area and that severe traffic delays are expected.

The blaze took hold at the Metro Hotel near Dublin Airport on the northside of the city.

Sinn Fein MEP Lynn Boylan tweeted: "Hearing reports of bad fire at Metro Hotel Ballymun, really hope everyone is out of the building and safe."

The blaze is believed to have started at 7.30pm, according to media reports.

Earlier: A fire has broken out in a hotel in Dublin.

Dublin Fire Brigade tweeted to say that five fire engines and command units are on the scene in Ballymun.

They have stated the there are road closures at Santry Cross while the fire is being dealt with.

The gardaÃ­ have tweeted to say diversions are in place and they are at the scene.

The CEO of Inner City Helping Homeless, Anthony Flynn, has taken to social media to say that the hotel accommodates the homeless.
A fire breaks out in the upper floors of a hotel and apartment block building in Ballymun, Ireland, near Dublin Airport. The fire affects the top seven floors of the building and two floors of apartments, without casualties.