Security hiked at hospital as gardaí probe second blaze

EXTRA security staff have been drafted into a hospital following the second fire in 24 hours in the same section of the unit, a blaze which gardaí describe as “highly suspicious”.

An 80-year-old woman could have perished in the blaze but for the efforts of a night porter who plucked her from her bed to safety at South Tipperary General Hospital in Clonmel.

Gardaí are probing if the fires were set deliberately either by a patient, a member of staff or someone from outside the hospital. A garda spokesman said an inquiry is underway and the scene was being technically examined.