Fire at Belgooly home is being treated as arson attack

BY KIERAN O’MAHONY

GARDAÍ are treating as arson a fire that gutted a house in a Belgooly estate last week. 

Supt Brendan Fogarty of Bandon Garda Station confirmed that the home has been designated a crime scene. Gardaí would not confirm reports that some locals had seen a man in a balaclava fleeing the scene before the  blaze broke out at the house in Meadows Estate, at around 10.45pm. 

Two units of the Cork County Fire Brigade, one from Kinsale and one from Carrigaline, attended the scene and remained there until 3am on Wednesday. 

The house, which was unoccupied at the time, was substantially destroyed in the fire, and two adjoining houses were  smoke-damaged. 

Supt Fogarty said: ‘We are currently conducting a full investigation into possible criminal damage by fire, which is arson on a house in the estate, late on Tuesday night. 

‘We are appealing to any witnesses who may have seen anything in the Meadows Estate on Tuesday night to come forward, or anyone who has dashcam footage taken between 10.30pm and 11.30pm on the night, to contact us, at either Bandon or Kinsale Garda Station on 023 8852200 or 021 4779350.’