Fire crews called to major blaze at Clare construction yard

Fire crews from two Clare stations have dealt with a major blaze at a construction yard in the county.

The alarm was raised shortly before 3pm when the Munster Regional Communications Centre received a report of a fire near Knock, Kilmaley.

A fire is understood to have broken out in a building used to service vehicles operated by a local construction company.

Units of Clare County Fire and Rescue Service from Ennis station initially responded to the incident along with Gardaí. Additional fire service resources were mobilised from Ennistymon station.

Water tankers from both stations and a hydraulic platform from Ennis were also dispatched to the scene. The tankers were used to ferry water from an off-site source to the scene.

Firefighters tackled the fire from above using the hydraulic platform and sprayed the building with water and foam in an effort to bring the fire under control.

At least one gas cylinder in the building exploded in the blaze while the roof of the structure later collapsed. Fire crews also set up three water monitor devices to concentrate water on a number of other gas cylinders in an effort to cool them down and prevent them from exploding.

After the fire was brought under control the area was cordoned off to prevent anyone approaching the cylinders while they continued to cool. The scene was cordoned off overnight and is expected to remain so for most of Thursday as a precaution.

No one was injured in the incident.