Arson attempt on Cork petrol station quenched by garda

Gardaí investigating an arson attempt at a 24-hour filling station in the middle of a busy tourist village are hoping forensic tests will help them catch the culprit. Gardaí are following a number of lines of inquiry.

Garda Dave Ahern spotted the fire at the Tria Express 24 hour filling station near the Square in Blarney in Co Cork as he was on patrol in the village at about 7.15am on Sunday. He quenched the fire with a fire extinguisher.

Gardai obtained CCTV footage covering the filling station, which is at the western end of the square. They found footage of a masked man arriving at the filling station by pedal bike from the Tower direction at about 6.50am.

The man, who was masked and hooded and wearing a white boiler suit and a hi-viz yellow jacket, approached the filling station. He took a lighter and lit some fire lighters which he then placed beneath the tubes of one of the petrol pumps before fleeing the scene on his bike.

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The man is not identifiable from the CCTV footage but Garda technical experts have carried out a forensic examination of the scene. Gardaí hope the technical examination will assist them in identifying the culprit behind the attack.

Gardaí believe that the incident may be related to an arson attack on a number of cars in the Whitechurch area, some 9km from Blarney last week when a number of vehicles were destroyed. They suspect it may be linked to a personal grudge against a local woman.

Gardaí have appealed to the public for assistance and asked anyone who may have witnessed the attack or noticed any unusual activity in the Blarney or Tower areas between 6.30am and 7.30am on Sunday to contact Gurranebraher Garda station on 021-4946200.