Parts of Waterford closed after shop blaze

Gardaí were forced to close part of Waterford City Centre to traffic tonight after a massive fire tore through a shop.

Fire brigade units from Waterford, Wexford and Kilkenny attended the scene in Thomas Street after the blaze broke out at around 6pm.

A garda spokesman said the road and surrounding streets were closed to traffic and no injuries were reported.

Dark smoke and huge flames estimated at around 60ft bellowed from the building, which housed a kitchen outlet, as firefighters battled for hours to try to bring the blaze under control.

“My office is close by and I watched it for about an hour or so and the flames were about 60ft high,” local Fine Gael councillor Thomas Cunningham said.

“Such was the extent and intensity of it that I would be very surprised to find that it didn’t spread to affect neighbouring premises.”

Mr Cunningham praised the emergency services for arriving on the scene so fast.