Gardaí search for teenagers who tried to set fire to house
The fire could have had catastrophic consequences had it not been spotted by neighbours. A senior garda spokesman said that two people were in the house at the time and were unaware of what was going on until neighbours alerted them.
The two youths, believed to be aged around 12 and 15, may have used lighter fuel to start the fire at the house at St Peter’s Avenue, off Grattan Street, in the city centre at around 7.45pm on Thursday.
The garda spokesman said: “They used some kind of flammable liquid. Fortunately there was only smoke damage to the house. Neighbours put out the fire.”
He said the two youths fled when they saw the neighbours coming out. One fled towards North Main Street and the other in the direction of Grattan Street. One of them may have had a bicycle.
Gardaí are appealing for the public to help them track down the two boys.
The 12-year-old is described as wearing a red Nike ‘hoodie’ with white sleeves, dark-coloured track-suit pants and dark runners. The older boy was wearing a dark jumper and dark track-suit pants.
Anybody with information is asked to contact the Bridewell garda station at (021) 4270681.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident in Cork, gardaí are forensically examining a stolen car which rammed a unmarked patrol car in the car park of the city’s prison.
A female sergeant and a detective were lucky to escape serious injury after the stolen black Honda Civic saloon rammed their car on Wednesday.
The car, which had been taken from the Lee Road earlier that day, was found abandoned at Lower Glanmire Road and taken to Mayfield garda station.
Gardaí say there were two men in the car during the ramming and are hopeful they will find fingerprints to match to the culprits.
