A FIREFIGHTER HAS been hospitalised after being rescued from an upstairs window while battling a blaze at a house in Athy, Co Kildare.
Emergency services were called to the fire on Canal Walk at around 10.05 this morning.
The Athy and Stradbally units of the fire brigade responded to the call and four fire tenders and around 15 firefighters were required to tackle the blaze.
One of the firefighters was injured during the incident and had to be rushed to hospital.
Kildare’s Chief Fire Officer Celina Barrett revealed that he sustained an injury after being rescued from an upstairs window.
It had initially been thought the incident was a gas leak, but Gas Networks Ireland confirmed this was not the case.
Barrett said the rescue worker got in trouble after the fire “developed in an unpredictable way.”
Unfortunately one of the firefighters sustained an injury and had to be hospitalised but his injuries are not life threatening and he will make a full recovery.
Barrett said there is no indication what started the fire but it is now under control. Garda crime scene experts are now at the house, which is cordoned off.
Local Councillor Mark Wall, who arrived at the house shortly after the fire took hold, said the blaze spread rapidly and it has done significant smoke damage to the house.
“Most importantly everyone is okay. I’m told everyone is okay,” said Wall.
The family who live in the house had vacated the building shortly before the fire took hold, the councillor said.
Emergency services remain at the scene and diversions have been put in place on roads in the area. Other houses in the area have not been evacuated.
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