Updated at 8.30am

INVESTIGATIONS ARE TO begin later today after a major fire broke out at a building complex in north Dublin.

At around 8pm last night, authorities were alerted to a blaze on the 13th floor of the complex at Santry Cross, Ballymun, which includes the Metro Hotel. Dublin Fire Brigade said that this is the “largest fire this year in Dublin”.

Speaking to Morning Ireland today, Dublin Fire Brigade’s Chief Fire Officer Patrick Fleming said that there was considerable water and smoke damage done to the building, adding it won’t be inhabitable for some time.

Eamonn Farrell via RollingNews.ie Eamonn Farrell via RollingNews.ie

“At this stage the fire is well out and we’ll be commencing an investigation later.

What I’d like to do is to assure the public that this was not a Grenfell Tower type of fire, but it does raise the issue of what people need to do when there is a fire.

He said that people who live in apartments need to be aware of fire safety when they’re in the building and what they should do if and when the fire alarm goes off.

The building had around 200 people in it at the time; they were evacuated and there are no reports of injuries from either members of the public or firefighters. It’s understood that residents were rehoused in the Carlton Hotel.

Road closures are in place since last night and are expected to affect traffic this morning.

Dublin Fire Brigade said that four fire engines remained on scene overnight “to dampen down and extinguish hot spots”. Just one unit remains on the scene this morning.

At the peak of the blaze, eight fire engines, over 60 firefighters, three aerial appliances, two command units and four special units attended the incident last night.

Gardaí were called to the scene shortly after 8pm and assisted the fire brigade. They’ve launched an investigation into the incident.

There are 16 floors in the building; the 9th floor down involved a search and rescue operation, while the 10th floor up involved preventing the blaze from spreading.

Glass exploded outwards in some of the rooms due to increased pressure in the rooms caused by the fire. Dublin Fire Brigade Dublin Fire Brigade

The “well-developed fire” had begun in an apartment on the 13th floor and travelled to the 10th floor but didn’t spread to the 11th or 12th floor, Dublin Fire Brigade said.

“Compartmentation worked well in relation to the building. The fire spread from the 13th to the 10th, but not the 11th or 12th,” Fleming said.

It’s understood that the Metro Hotel comprises the first four floors of the building, with the floors which appeared to be on fire last night containing apartments.

It’s as of yet unclear how the fire started; Dublin Fire Brigade said that there was no reason to believe it was suspicious at this stage.

Read: No reports of casualties as major fire rages at building complex in north Dublin city