Former Peerless Rugs plant damaged by fire

A fire has caused major damage to the disused Peerless Rugs factory in Athy, Co Kildare.

At least six units of the fire brigade attended the scene shortly after midnight and brought the blaze under control within hours.

The plant in the Townspark industrial estate on Abbeyleix Road closed down around 18 months ago.

Coincidentally, production was switched to the Reffond factory in Cork city, which was itself destroyed by a massive blaze yesterday evening.

The Cork fire is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault, but the cause of the Athy blaze is still unknown.