An investigation is under way today into a serious fire at a Co Cork golf club.
The blaze completely destroyed parts of the clubhouse and adjoining buildings of Muskerry Golf Club, near Blarney, which broke out shortly before 9pm last night.
Firefighters spent several hours battling the fire after a golf buggy caught fire and the flames spread to the nearby clubhouse causing extensive damage to one side of the building
More than 20 firefighters from Cork city and county attended the scene of the fire after the alarm was raised by a barman working in the clubhouse at about 9.15pm when he heard an explosion near where the golf buggies are stored.
The blaze quickly spread to the nearby clubhouse which was empty at the time except for the barman who was tidying up and he made his way safely from the building before raising the alarm and alerting the emergency services.
Three units of Cork City Fire Brigade from Anglesea Street attended as did units of the County Fire Service from Ballincollig and Macroom. Gardai were also called to the scene to assist with crowd control after almost 400 onlookers gathered.
Garda technical experts are due to carry out a forensic examination of the scene of the fire today to try and establish the cause of the fire but initial indications last night suggested the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault in one of the buggies.
On Saturday afternoon, four units of Cork City Fire Brigade spent a number of hours fighting a fire at the sauna in Christys Hotel in the centre of Blarney village which gardai are satisfied was caused by an electrical fault.