Four people jump from building to escape blaze

A 35-YEAR-OLD man is in a critical condition in hospital after he and three others jumped from different floors of an apartment block to escape a blaze.

The alarm was raised at 12.30am yesterday when a woman jumped from the first floor of the apartment block at No 13 North Mall in Cork city. Seconds later two men and another woman also jumped, this time from the top apartments which were some 50ft from the ground.

Gardaí have appealed for help in tracing the relatives of the critically injured man.

Superintendent Con Cadogan, who is leading the Garda investigation, said the man is believed to be known as Kevin Kiely. However, gardaí have been unable to ascertain where he is originally from.

“He kept himself very much to himself. He may have been a mature student. Because of his condition we obviously haven’t been able to interview him, so we are hoping some relative will recognise the name and address,” Supt Cadogan said.

Kevin, who suffered head injuries, is in intensive care at Cork University Hospital (CUH).

The woman who jumped from the first-floor window was discharged from the same hospital yesterday. The other man who jumped from the top floor was described as being in a stable condition at CUH.

A woman who jumped with him was transferred to St Mary’s Orthopaedic Hospital in Gurranabraher. She is also said to be in a stable condition.

Despite a speedy response by fire services the building was extensively damaged. Supt Cadogan said damage to the building, which is next to the Franciscan Well Brewery, could run to €750,000.

“There were eight people in the building at the time. They were all adults and they were all accounted for. It is a miracle all of those who jumped weren’t killed,” he said.

Supt Cadogan said gardaí were keeping an open mind on the cause of the blaze.

“We are appealing for Kevin Kiely’s relatives to contact us. We are also appealing for anybody who was in the area at the time and who saw the fire, or who saw the people jumping from the building to contact us,” Supt Cadogan said.

lAnybody with information is asked to contact Gurranabraher Garda Station at 021-4946200.