Garda appeal after hotel arson attack

GARDAÍ believe that old linen and other material were deliberately set alight at the rear of a Cork city hotel, causing more than €10,000 worth of damage to the property.

Nearly 130 guests had to be evacuated from The Maldron Hotel at John Redmond Street when the fire broke out shortly after 12.30am yesterday.

The alarm was raised after staff at the hotel found a trolley full of burning linen and bedding ablaze in a covered area to the rear of the building.

Some of the guests were treated for minor smoke inhalation at the scene.

Tony McGuigan of the Maldron Group said staff and the fire brigade had done a great job in getting the situation under control. It was business as usual in the hotel yesterday.

Gardaí said that they were treating the incident as an arson attack.

“We are appealing for anybody who was in the area of The Maldron between midnight and 12.45am and who saw anything suspicious to contact us,” a Garda spokeswoman said.

*Anybody with information is asked to contact Watercourse Road Garda Station at [phone], or Mayfield Garda Station at [phone].