For the second time in a less than a month, the fire service was called to a premises in Sligo town centre yesterday afternoon.
No one was injured in the fire, which resulted in O’Connell Street being closed to traffic for a time.
Just afternoon lunchtime yesterday afternoon, Jafar Ikbal, a native of Bangladesh, opened his ground-floor restaurant, Indulgence Grill and Wine Bar, which is located beside Easons.
Then he heard the smoke alarm go off, and immediately dialled 999.
The Fire Service responded within minutes, with three units arriving on the scene from Sligo and Ballymote.
As a crowd gathered, firemen entered the building, others raised an extension ladder to a dormer-type window in the roof, over the second floor of the building.
They had the fire under control within five minutes.
This onlooker described the scene to Ocean FM news:
Sligo Chief Fire Officer Gerry O Malley confirmed the the fire was not major and that no one was injured.
He said it was contained within a first-floor office.
And despite the dramatic scenes in O’Connell Street, no flames or smoke could be seen coming from the building, which was cordoned off.
A water pipe burst causing some water damage in the building.
Jafar, speaking to Ocean FM News afterwards, was hopeful his restaurant will reopen and be back in business again in a day or two.
Early last month, the fire service was called to a blaze in another premises on O’Connell Street; that time it was the well-known McGarrigle’s pub, where significant damage was caused.
Thankfully, yesterday afternoon’s incident appeared not to be as extensive or serious.
O’Connell Street was reopened to traffic as normal yesterday evening.
