‘Gas explosion’ destroys pub, shop

A SUSPECTED gas leak is thought to have caused a massive fire which destroyed a pub and auctioneers shop in the centre of Athlone yesterday.

For a number of hours, units of the local fire brigade fought the blaze which broke out at O’Neill’s Bar and Finlay’s Auctioneers in St Mary’s Square at 3pm.

Gardaí were forced to evacuate all the surrounding properties on Castlemaine Street.

The public coming in to town to complete their Christmas shopping were also diverted to other parts of the town.

There were no reports of any injuries as a result of the incident.

Local radio station Midlands 103 quoted gardaí as saying they believed the “explosion may have been a gas blast”. It was also reported that gas cylinders stored in a basement had caught fire.