TWO PEOPLE HAVE been taken to hospital following a fire at a commercial premises in Killaloe, Co Clare. 

The two people are expected to be discharged this evening after treatment.

The alarm was raised at around 1.pm when emergency services received multiple reports of a fire at Walsh’s ‘Top of the Town’ bar on Main Street in Killaloe.

Units of Clare County Fire and Rescue Service from Killaloe and Scarriff stations responded to the incident along with Gardaí and National Ambulance Service paramedics. The bar is located just metres from the local Garda station and about 100 metres from the fire station.

On arrival at the scene emergency services found that the building was well alight and quickly began tackling the blaze.

Walsh’s Bar in Killaloe completely up in flames, horrific scene. take the vid if ye want. pic.twitter.com/pEXfDG7Ma7

— Ultimate (@UltiIrish) September 25, 2023

It’s understood that there was at least one person, understood to be a worker, on the premises at the time but managed to make their way to safety. A second person was also injured but it hasn’t been confirmed whether they were in the building at the time.

Two people were treated at the scene by paramedics and were later removed to University Hospital Limerick by ambulance for further assessment. Their injuries are not believed to be serious.

ESB engineers and gas technicians were also requested to attend the scene but could only wait nearby for fire crews to deal with the blaze before they could carry out an inspection of the property.

The area around the scene has been cordoned off and traffic is being diverted away from Main Street, The Green and Thomas Street. Gardaí are asking motorists to avoid the area and say the scene will remain sealed off for a time yet.

Later, additional fire service resources from Nenagh, Co Tipperary, including a hydraulic platform, were mobilised to assist at the scene.

It’s expected that a technical examination of the scene will be undertaken by Gardaí once the area has been declared safe.

Locals were quick to rally around the Walsh family and have organised sheets of timber to help secure the premises which was extensively damaged.

Local councillor Tony O’Brien said: “People are both shocked and saddened by the fire. Not only was it a pub and a place for us locals to socialise it was also a family home. As a community our efforts will be to help the Walsh family in whatever way we can.

Whilst it is a very tragic and difficult time the over-riding emotion is very much one of relief that there was no loss of life or serious injury as a result of the fire.”