Hospital racks up €32k fire service bill over faulty alarm

A faulty fire alarm system in a Victorian-era hospital building has cost the HSE almost €32,000 in less than two years.

The Kerry fire service has responded to 62 callouts to St Finan’s Hospital, Killarney, since the start of 2012 because the system is frequently tripping, at a cost of €500 per callout.

The building has not had any patients since Sept 2012 and the remaining staff are due to move out today.

Southdoc, which occupies a small section of the first floor, is also believed to be looking at a number of alternative locations.

A HSE spokesman said the building was due to close and a cordoned security system put in place. When that had been done, the fire alarm would not be as sensitive, he added.

Kerry County Council confirmed the HSE had been billed for €31,633 for fire brigade callouts since the start of last year.

St Finan’s dates to the middle of the 19th century. It is understood that damp and dust accumulating in the building is causing extra sensitivity in the fire alarm system.

The HSE said the alarm, monitored by an outside company, covered the entire three storeys of the building.