Man injured in garda station blast

A CONTRACTOR in his 40s was injured when an explosion ripped through a boiler house in Limerick’s largest garda station.

Henry Street Garda Station had to be evacuated after the explosion at 1.50pm yesterday.

The contractor was one of a number of men who were working in the boiler room at the time.

He was rushed to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital where he was being treated for burns. His injuries were said not to be life-threatening.

The building was evacuated. There were more than 50 gardaí, clerical staff, a prisoner and civilians present at the time.

Fire brigade personnel attended the scene and a section of the street was closed off as a precaution.

The contractors had been working on converting the heating system to gas when the explosion occurred.

A prisoner who was in the cells had to be transferred to Roxboro Road garda station.

Gardaí had to temporarily remove administrative business to the city’s other main garda stations Mayorstone or Roxboro Road.

A garda spokesman said the building was declared safe a few hours later at which point OPW personnel moved in to assess the damage.