A COUPLE who were alarmed at how close a gorse fire came to the village of Ballydehob believe it is time to start prosecuting fire-starters.
‘We were in the wind path of the fire on April 30th and it was very disturbing for us, especially for my husband David, who is 84, and whose breathing difficulties were exacerbated by the smoke,’ Deb Beale told The Southern Star.
As reported last week, it took a team of 20 firefighters from Schull, Skibbereen and Bantry fire brigades to get the fire at Shanavagh in Ballydehob under control.
The alarm was raised shortly after 2pm and it was after 6pm before the fire, which was described as ‘serious’ due to the fact that it was on rough terrain and within a half-kilometre of the town, was fully extinguished.
Deb Beale said the prolonged dry spell and strong winds on the day added to people’s concern, and it wasn’t until later in the evening that their sense of fear abated.
Deb Beale and her husband David said they appreciate the coverage in the local media, and online, but complained: ‘We never get to hear the outcome.
‘We never get to hear if it was accidental, or deliberate, or if anybody was charged?’ said Deb, who also asked: ‘Who is responsible for investigating these incidents and bringing a prosecution case?
‘In this instance, are the authorities involved? And not just the incredible fire persons who risked everything to get it under control’.
‘It’s just not good enough to say, “That’s the way it is”. We need to know because we need to find a way to prevent this happening again,’ she said.
‘This fire was very close to the village. It was a stone’s throw away from the church and Main Street. It started on fairly high ground and blew over the Schull Road. Then it came down into the valley, which is where we were. It was directly south of us.
‘This was not a hill fire that was far, far away. It came very close to the village, so surely there must be consequences,’ she said. A spokesperson for An Garda Siochana confirmed that the gardaí and emergency services were alerted to the fire and that one female was transferred to Cork University Hospital as a precaution.
The spokesperson said: ‘No offences were disclosed and the matter is not subject to a garda investigation at this time.’
The Southern Star has also asked Cork County Council for a comment.
