Residents rescued from fire at Clondalkin apartment block

Over a dozen people were rescued from an apartment block in west Dublin following a fire at the complex this morning.

Ten adults and three children were rescued from the fire at the Thornfield apartment complex at Watery Lane, Clondalkin. A spokesman for the Dublin fire brigade said the emergency services received a call notifying them of the fire at 5.30am.

Several pumps and ambulances went to the scene where an evacuation was underway. The spokesman said a number of people were trapped on each floor and several children were lowered to safety from windows and balconies at the four-storey building.

A total of sixteen apartments were evacuated. One person is understood to have been taken to hospital and a number of others were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. There are no reports of serious injuries.

The cause of the fire is unknown and despite reports that the fire may have started in a hallway a Garda spokeswoman said it was too early to determine if it was suspicious.

“It is too early for us to say whether foul play was involved. At the moment we are investigating the circumstances surrounding it, we certainly haven’t said it is suspicious or anything like that yet.”

The fire was quickly extinguished and it is expected that investigators will examine the cause of the fire later today.