RESIDENTS OF A Dublin apartment block say they are concerned about what is going to happen next after Dublin Fire Brigade deemed their complex to be “a potentially dangerous building”.

Dublin city’s Chief Fire Officer has ordered that the basement car park at the Metropolitan apartment complex in Kilmainham, Dublin 8, must stop being used “immediately” until it is brought up to fire standards. A number of storage spaces can also no longer be used. 

Residents at the complex say they have been told it will cost over €500,000 to repair the basement area, which is to be paid by the owners of the apartments. 

The Metropolitan apartment complex has 127 apartments and also houses a creche.

The issues with the Metropolitan complex have been ongoing for over 18 months, The Journal understands. 

In recent weeks, Dublin Fire Brigade issued an enforcement notice ordering the immediate cessation of the use of the car park facilities. This was due to a host of fire safety issues.

One worried resident who contacted us said: “It has been confirmed that fire doors are missing, the alarm system is not up to standard and the large bin stores are non-compliant with the original fire certs.”

The entrance to the apartments.

The Journal spoke to several residents outside the apartment complex this afternoon who said that they did not know what was happening.

One woman, who would only give her name as Kim, said that she is waiting to see what happens next. 

“The first we knew about this was a letter that came in the door. It was all written in red with ‘urgent’ on it so we didn’t ignore it. It was telling us that we can’t use the basement car park at all.

“We now are hearing from other people in the building that there might be other problems. People keep on saying it could end up like Priory Hall so we’re just all a bit worried as it’s so up in the air.”

The letter sent by Dublin City Council to the owners of the apartments said that an inspection was carried out on 13 January. “The building is considered to be “a potentially dangerous building” as defined in the Fire Services Act, 1981, as amended 2003,” the letter says. “Accordingly, a recommendation for the service of a Fire Safety Notice is being prepared.

“You are required to refrain from using the premises as named above for car parking facilities and storage spaces within the basement level immediately.”