A woman was in a serious condition in hospital last night following a fire in a Waterford city hotel.
The woman, an American tourist in her late 60s, was taken to Waterford Regional Hospital after the fire broke out in a second-floor bedroom in the Tower Hotel at about 8.30 p.m. on Thursday. She was later transferred to the burns unit at Cork University Hospital.
About 250 guests and staff were evacuated from the building as four units of Waterford City Fire Brigade and one from Dunmore East fought the blaze, which was quickly brought under control. They were allowed to return to the hotel later on Thursday.
A Garda spokesman said the fire, which was confined to one bedroom, was being investigated. It is believed it was started accidentally but he said this could not be confirmed until the results of a technical examination had been analysed.
The injured woman was a member of a tour group from the US. She suffered third-degree burns and her condition was described as "serious" by a Cork University Hospital spokeswoman.
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