Cause of navy base fire to be examined by military police

MILITARY police are awaiting the all-clear from engineers before examining a historic building that was gutted by fire at the naval service headquarters in Co Cork.

They will seek to ascertain the cause of the blaze, which destroyed storage rooms and caused serious damage to UCC’s Coastal & Marine Resources Centre, which is also based in the naval headquarters in Haulbowline.

The fire at the so-called block 4, was spotted at 8.40pm and at times sent flames 16m into the air.