Publican’s horror as fire destroys bar complex

THERE was little Christmas cheer for a Co Wexford publican who lost his licensed premises in a fire yesterday morning.

The bar in the village of Clohamon, just outside Bunclody, in north Wexford, was destroyed in the blaze, with only the perimeter walls left intact.

A passerby observed smoke billowing from an overhead floor about 9am and immediately contacted the emergency services.

As the upstairs of the premises is rented out to foreign nationals, it was initially feared they may have been trapped in the building, but it was later discovered they had returned home for Christmas. The premises is owned by John and Marcella Cowman.

Five fire units fought the blaze, with the fire services from Gorey, Enniscorthy and Bunclody on the scene for several hours before bringing it under control at around 1pm. Two units remained at the scene for several hours as they continued to dampen the building.

Superintendent John Roche of Gorey Garda Station said the fire started on the first floor, spreading quickly through the building, causing extensive damage to the lounge, bar and function room, while the upstairs apartments were destroyed. It’s believed the cause may have been an electrical fault.

Meanwhile, up to 100 families in Co Antrim last night returned to their homes after a scrapyard fire led to their evacuation on Thursday night.

The fire, at Longlands Avenue in Newtownabbey, broke out around 8pm.

Locals were told to keep their doors and windows closed and shoppers were asked to stay in a nearby supermarket due to fears, later discounted, of asbestos in the air. The flames were extinguished in the early hours yesterday but officers have maintained a presence to cool a large gas cylinder.

A 200m exclusion zone was put in place around the yard until 10.30pm. The cause of the fire has not been established.