Council foots bill to make firetrap apartments safe

Major fire safety defects were uncovered in an estate of apartments in north county Dublin, the Irish Examiner has learned.

The estate of timber-frame apartments and duplexes was found to have a dozen defects that effectively rendered the homes as firetraps. Up to 200 homes are understood to have been affected by the construction deficiencies.

Remedial work was undertaken and paid for by Fingal County Council on 55 homes, including 11 which were privately owned. The Irish Examiner understands it was deemed necessary for the council to pay for the work on private homes for reasons of access to the council-owned properties.