Gardaí say fine weather may have sparked city fire

GARDAÍ ruled out arson yesterday after a gorse fire ripped through hills overlooking Cork city at the weekend.

Three units of the fire service — from Cork city and Carrigaline — rushed to the scene of the blaze behind Vernon Mount and Frankfield Golf Course just after 5pm on Sunday.

More units were drafted in at about 9pm as the fire spread across a 20-acre tract of land.

There were fears at one stage for a number of nearby housing estates and for the protected Vernon Mount House.

But fire fighters managed to bring the blaze under control. They remained on the scene until 2am yesterday morning.

A garda spokesman said there was no evidence that the fire was started deliberately.

The recent spell of fine weather, coupled with intense sunlight and dry ground conditions, could have sparked a spontaneous fire, a garda spokesman said.