Fire chiefs say hats off to shop staff

FIRE officers praised staff at one of Cork’s biggest department stores last night after a minor fire.

Debenhams on St Patrick’s Street was full of lunchtime shoppers yesterday when fire alarms went off just after 1pm.

A small fire was spotted in a light fitting on the ceiling near an escalator on the ground floor. The store was immediately evacuated as five units of the fire brigade rushed to the scene.

Third officer Declan O’Shea said shop staff had brought the blaze under control by the time they arrived.

“They had cut power to the light and I believe they may have used a fire extinguisher,” he said.

“We stripped back the ceiling and checked everything out but the shop’s management and staff dealt with this incident extremely well.”

Staff members spent several minutes waiting outside at various fire assembly points before fire officers gave the building the all clear.

A Debenhams spokesperson was not available for comment last night but it was business as normal.