Garda investigations "ongoing" into major Tullamore fire

Gardai have confirmed that “investigations are ongoing” into the cause of a major blaze which broke out at the site of the abandoned former Tesco/Quinnsworth building in the centre of Tullamore last night.

The fire is being treated by gardai as an incident of criminal damage, and is the second fire to take place on the same site, after a previous fire in October 2019.

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Senior assistant chief fire officer with Offaly Fire Service, Nick Smyth, said two units from Tullamore and one unit from Clara were dispatched to the scene of the fire in an area known locally as Texas Car Park shortly after 7pm yesterday evening.

“The old Tesco/Quinnsworth building was ablaze by the time we arrived on the scene” he said “and our units spent over two hours at the scene before the fire was brought under control.”

Mr. Smyth confirmed that the entire site, which is located between Offaly Street, Patrick Street and Kilbride Plaza, has been sealed off, and local Gardai maintained a presence at the scene overnight.

Extensive damage was caused to the building, which has been derelict for a number of years, but both the Offaly Fire Service and An Garda Siochána confirmed that “no injuries were reported.”