Fire at Wicklow hotel: 1787 building damaged

Firefighters and tenders outside Lawless's Hotel in Aughrim, Co Wicklow, yesterday. The hotel was badly damaged by fire in the early hours. Photograph: Garry O'Neill

CIARA O'BRIEN

GARDAÍ ARE investigating an early morning fire that badly damaged one of Co Wicklow’s oldest hotels.

The fire broke out at Lawless’s Hotel in Aughrim at about 4am yesterday.

Five units of the the fire service were called in to deal with the blaze, with firefighters and units from Arklow, Tinahely, Rathdrum and Carnew, Co Wicklow, attending.

The hotel, which was established in 1787, has a lengthy heritage in the Co Wicklow town.

Witnesses said the guest rooms, function rooms and kitchen appeared to have been almost destroyed, but the front of the hotel was intact.

Gardaí said no customers were believed to have been in the hotel at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported.

The road from Annacurragh to Aughrim was sealed off during the incident.