Two hospitalised following fire at Clare pub

The alarm was raised at around 1pm when emergency services received multiple reports of an explosion and fire at Walsh’s ‘Top of the Town’ bar on Main Street in Killaloe. Photo: Press 22

Two people have been taken to hospital following a fire at a commercial premises in Killaloe, Co. Clare.

The alarm was raised at around 1pm when emergency services received multiple reports of an explosion and fire at Walsh’s ‘Top of the Town’ bar on Main Street in Killaloe.

Units of Clare County Fire and Rescue Service from Killaloe and Scarriff stations responded to the incident along with gardaí and National Ambulance Service paramedics. The bar is located just metres from the local Garda station and about 100 metres from the fire station.

On arrival at the scene, emergency services found that the building was well alight and quickly began tackling the blaze.

It’s understood that there was at least one person, understood to be a worker, on the premises at the time but they managed to make their way to safety. A second person was also injured but it hasn’t been confirmed whether they were in the building at the time.

Two people were treated at the scene by paramedics and were later removed to University Hospital Limerick by ambulance for further assessment. Their injuries are not believed to be serious.

ESB engineers and gas technicians were requested to attend the scene to carry out an inspection of the property.

The area around the scene has been cordoned off and traffic is being diverted away from Main Street, The Green, and Thomas Street. Gardaí are asking motorists to avoid the area and say the scene will remain sealed off for a time yet.

Later, additional fire service resources from Nenagh, Co Tipperary, including a hydraulic platform, were mobilised to assist at the scene. It is expected that a technical examination of the scene will be undertaken by gardaí once the area has been declared safe.