Blaze destroys hotel in Rosslare

Tuskar House Hotel owners say fire has put them out of business and 80 employees out of work.

As many as 80 jobs have been lost at Tuskar House Hotel in Rosslare Harbour after the 30-year-old building was destroyed in a blaze on Wednesday night.

No one was injured in the fire which was put out early yesterday after 30 fire officers from five local fire brigades worked through the night. Hotel owner Mr Billy Roche said his business had been destroyed by the blaze.

"It's a life's work gone up in smoke. I feel sorry for everybody connected with the hotel - staff, everybody who supported us through the years," he said.

His daughter, Ms Orla Roche, who helped run the hotel, said the family was "devastated" by the incident. "We are out of business. You are talking at least a year down the road before we could get anything going again," she said.

The hotel, one of the oldest and best known in the area, employed 50 to 60 people full-time, along with at least 20 seasonal workers. It is estimated up to €4 million worth of damage was caused to the building, which was due to host the wedding of a local couple tomorrow.

Gardaí are investigating the blaze which is believed to have broken out in the attic at about 10.45 p.m. Fire officers said it spread extremely fast and that there was little opportunity to save the building.

All 55 residents were evacuated safely, mainly from bedrooms, but also from the hotel bar and restaurant. As they fought the blaze, the Wexford fire brigade utilised the swimming pool at the neighbouring Great Southern Hotel, draining it dry.

Gardaí, who sealed the scene off for forensic examination yesterday, had not ruled out the possibility of the blaze being caused by a firework set off in the vicinity of the hotel. They had also not ruled out the possibility of an electrical fault.