Louth County Council accepting applications for retained firefighters

Dundalk Fire Service dealing with a recent fire at Mullen’s in Roden Place

Louth County Council are currently accepting applications for retained firefighters across the county.

The roles for suitably qualified persons are available in Ardee, Carlingford, Dunleer, Dundalk and Drogheda Stations. The annual retainer for a retained firefighter is €7,562 – €10,383 per annum.

Candidates must be living and working within a five minute mobilisation time of their local fire station and have a reasonable level of fitness to apply.

Open nights will be held from 7pm to 8.30pm in Carlingford Station on Tuesday October 27^th, Ardee Station on Wednesday October 28^th and Dunleer Station on Tuesday November 2^nd.

The closing date for applications is Friday November 6^th with more details available here.

Part of Táin Holiday Village destroyed by fire

The Táin Adventure Centre has been allowed to fall into disrepair since closing for business in 2007

A portion of the former Táin Holiday Village at Ballyoonan in Omeath was destroyed by fire in the early hours of this morning.

The incident occurred shortly before 3am with firefighters from both Dundalk and Carlingford attending the blaze.

They battled the fire for around four hours with the top storey of the building, which now lies idle, reported to have been completely destroyed in the blaze.

There was a fire last August at the former holiday village, which Gardaí at the time said they were treating as arson.

The Táin Holiday Village was opened 21 years ago but has been closed for business since 2007.

Fire at Táin Holiday Village being treated as arson

The entrance to the Táin Holiday Village

Gardaí are investigating the cause of a fire on the grounds of the former Táin Holiday Village at Ballyoonan in Omeath yesterday evening.

Firefighters from Carlingford and Dundalk were called to the scene around 4pm with the road being blocked off for some time as they battled the blaze.

The fire is being treated as malicious and anyone with any information is asked to contact either Carlingford or Dundalk Garda Stations.

The blaze started in a downstairs room of the camp, which was badly smokelogged.

The Táin Holiday Village was opened 20 years ago but has been closed for business since 2007.

The Táin Adventure Centre has been allowed to fall into disrepair since closing for business in 2007

Firefighters tackle forest fire overnight

Firefighters from Dundalk and Ardee were called to a forest fire in the north of the county last night.

The incident happened at an area between Jenkinstown Hill and Rockmarshall. The fire service were called to the scene around 8.15pm and spent over three hours battling the blaze before finally bringing it under control.

Yacht destroyed by fire on Carlingford Lough

A yacht was destroyed by fire after catching alight on Carlingford Lough in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The Kilkeel RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew were alerted to the burning 40ft two-masted glass fibre yacht, which was anchored south east of Rostrevor Pier.

The owner had been contacted and confirmed there were two gas cylinders aboard the yacht but no people.

The Kilkeel lifeboat Frank William Walton was launched at 2.20am and quickly reached the stricken yacht which very quickly was ablaze from bow to stern.

One of the propane gas cylinders had already exploded so the lifeboat with, four firefighters from Warrenpoint and a mobile fire fighting pump aboard, stood off at a safe distance.

When the fire had somewhat subsided the lifeboat returned to the yacht and the flames were extinguished.

The lifeboat left the firefighters and the pump ashore at Warrenpoint and returned safely to the boathouse in Kilkeel at 6.45am.

Helm Gerry Smyth said: ‘It was vital that the lifeboat crew, the firefighters and the lifeboat were kept out of danger whilst there was the possibility of the gas cylinders exploding.

‘The yacht was extensively damaged and still afloat when we left the scene but importantly no lives were lost.’

Local fire stations seeking retained firefighters

Dundalk Fire Station. Picture: Fire Ireland

Louth Local Authorities are currently advertising to invite applications from suitably qualified persons for the creation of a panel of retained firefighters in Dundalk, Drogheda and Carlingford Stations.

The annual retainer pays between €7,562-€9,344 per annum.

A condition of the part-time roles is that candidates must be living and working within a five minute mobilisation time of the fire station they are applying to. A reasonable level of fitness is also required.

Full details can be found here.

Body of 30-year-old recovered following Ardee blaze

The scene at the fire yesterday evening.

The body of a 30-year-old man has been recovered following a major fire at Finlay’s Funeral Home in Ardee yesterday evening.

Gardaí have named the victim as Ramunas Sinica, a Lithuanian national, who lived on William Street in Ardee. Mr Sinica, who worked at Finlay’s Coffin and Casket Services in Ardee, is believed to have become trapped after the fire broke out.

The fire broke out at around 5pm on Tierney Street with firefighters from Ardee, Dunleer and Dundalk battling the blaze for several hours.

It became apparent that someone was unaccounted for soon after the blaze started.

Gardaí believe the fire started accidentally.

Residents of nearby Moorehall Lodge Nursing Home had been evacuated from the main nursing home and moved to a safer location within the retirement complex during the blaze.

Tierney Street has reopened to traffic this morning.

Man hospitalised following single vehicle accident on Armagh Road

A man was taken to hospital following a single vehicle accident just over the border on the Armagh Road last night.

Firefighters from Dundalk and Newry attended the scene to free the man after he became tramped after his car overturned around 11.15pm.

It is understood the man had to be restrained before being removed to Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry for treatment.

It is understood his injuries are not life-threatening.

Firefighters to visit homes at risk of fire in the area

Local firefighters are set to call to houses believed to be at risk of fire to advise residents on how to downplay risks within the home.

As part of the Community Fire Safety Strategy and Schools Programme, the firefighters will give out fire safety advice to occupants over the course of half an hour.

As well as teaching them how to react in the event of a fire, they will also teach preventative measures.

For now, only homes believed to be at risk of fire will be contacted about the programme.