Fuel was poured on stairs at Ipas centre before it was set alight

The International Protection Accommodation Services (Ipas) centre in Drogheda, Co Louth after the building was attacked. Picture: PA

Petrol or another accelerant was poured on a staircase before it was set on fire, trapping one adult and four children including a baby upstairs in asylum seeker accommodation with no safe exit on Halloween night.

The fire was deliberately started at an International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) centre on George’s St in Drogheda where some 28 people were staying on Friday at about 8pm.

An urgent security review of all IPAS centres will now take place, Minister of State for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Colm Brophy told RTÉ.

CCTV footage obtained by the Sunday Times showed a masked man pouring what looked like petrol on the stairs before lighting them on fire, trapping people inside the burning building.

Fireworks were also thrown through a window.

Five people rescued from top floor

Five people, four of whom were children, were rescued from the top floor.

Some of the 28 residents at the centre were admitted to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, although no one suffered serious injury, it is understood.

John Lannon, CEO of Doras migrant support organisation, said that the violence in Drogheda was extremely worrying.

Government leaders must be responsible in their language around migration as questioning the rights of people to seek asylum can "potentially fuel acts like this," he said.

Last week, Tánaiste Simon Harris said that Ireland's "migration numbers are too high" and that too many people were coming to Ireland claiming asylum.

Government has a responsibility to ensure the safety of everyone who comes to Ireland, and any actions or words that put them at risk need to be avoided, Mr Lannon said: 

Everyone who is seeking asylum here has a right to do so. In addition to condemning attacks on them, the Government needs to send this message out loud and clear.

“No children should have to live with fear of being attacked in this way in Ireland.

“People who are attacking children in their homes or who are encouraging others to do so are never on the right side of history."

Nick Henderson, CEO of the Irish Refugee Council, also called for strong leadership "to stand against hatred" following the attack.

"This appalling incident is a reminder of the need for strong leadership — both locally and nationally — to stand against hatred and uphold compassion and solidarity," he said.

Online hate repeatedly spills over into real world violence, Edel McGinley, executive director of the Hope and Courage Collective, which monitors far-right activity in Ireland, said: 

This is not an isolated incident — we have seen arson used on many occasions to threaten and harass — this time putting people’s lives in danger. 

“In a time where racist narratives are given undue amplification online, we need our leaders to protect people seeking asylum in Ireland, not further fuel the violence through irresponsible rhetoric,” Ms McGinley said.

Justice minister Jim O'Callaghan said that those responsible will be brought to justice.

The Fire Service alerted gardaí to the incident at around 8.15pm on Friday night.

“This was an extremely dangerous act endangering the lives of the residents, including children, who were in their home at the time," a garda statement said.

Gardaí are renewing their appeal for any person with any information on this serious incident to come forward.