A Catholic Church in Limerick was destroyed by fire yesterday, causing damage estimated at £750,000.
Residents at Moyross looked on in shock as the fire service fought in vain to save the Corpus Christi Church. The walls are still intact but the roof will have to be replaced. A new organ bought four weeks ago for £4,000 was also destroyed.
Gardai believe that the fire was not malicious and members of the Garda Technical Bureau were examining the scene.
The principal teacher of Corpus Christi National School, Mr Tony O'Gorman, said that two FAS workers raised the alarm when smoke was seen near the Our Lady's altar. "Within six minutes the whole church was engulfed," he said.
Shortly before the fire, at around noon, there were 300 people in the church for the annual novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour. Mr O'Gorman stressed that the church was locked and secure after the service ended.