Fire near Laois scout den sparks serious concern
Firefighters at the scene after the blaze was brought under control. Photo: Portarlington 4th Laois Scouts
A FIRE near a Scout Den in Laois has sparked serious concern over the safety of young people and volunteers using the busy premises.
The blaze broke out this evening in a derelict building on a laneway off Main Street, near the den used by Portarlington 4th Laois Scouts group.
Portarlington Fire Service responded immediately to emergency calls and the flames were quickly brought under control, before the blaze could spread to adjacent properties. Firefighters remained at the scene until the building was deemed safe from any further outbreak.
While relieved that there was no damage to the Scout Den and other properties, the 4th Laois Scouts group said the incident highlighted ongoing safety issues at the den, which can be accessed only through the laneway from Main Street.
Vacant outbuildings in the laneway are a base for drug use, drinking and other anti-social behaviour, according to the group. Drug paraphernalia, broken bottles, dumped rubbish and rodents are among the hazards faced by young people who have no other access route to the Scout Den.
Following the fire, scout leaders said they intend to contact local councillors and TDs, in yet another bid to tackle the serious risks associated with the laneway.
In a statement tonight, the group said: ‘We have received a significant number of calls and messages this evening from concerned residents who believed that our Scout Den was on fire.
‘We can confirm that our Scout Den was not involved in the fire and has not been damaged. The fire occurred in a neighbouring building, situated in the laneway leading to our Den. Thankfully, we understand that there have been no injuries.
‘While we are extremely relieved that nobody was hurt and that our Den escaped damage, tonight’s incident brings into very stark focus a serious issue that our Scout Group has been dealing with for a number of years.
‘Our Den has only one point of access and egress - the laneway from Main Street. Youth members, parents, families and volunteer leaders must use this laneway every time they enter or leave our premises.
‘Immediately surrounding this access route are a number of derelict buildings which have been allowed to deteriorate considerably. Over the past number of years, we have repeatedly encountered broken glass and other hazardous material in the vicinity of our Den. We have previously had to contact the local authority regarding illegal dumping and rodent problems.
‘Some of the outbuildings associated with the derelict property have also become locations for antisocial behaviour. Discarded alcohol containers, broken bottles and drug paraphernalia have been found in buildings in direct proximity to an active Scout Den, used every week by children and young people.
‘On occasions, our own volunteers have had to take direct action, including boarding up broken windows where shattered and falling glass presented an immediate hazard to our youth members.’
The group added: ‘The cause of tonight’s fire has yet to be established and we will not speculate on how it started. However, the incident illustrates why we have become increasingly concerned about the condition of these properties and the potential risks they present.
‘We now intend to raise this matter formally with our local elected representatives and the relevant authorities and to seek urgent engagement with the property owner, who we understand is not based locally.
‘Whatever the circumstances surrounding these properties, the present situation cannot simply be allowed to continue indefinitely. Children and young people should be able to enter and leave their Scout Den safely. Their parents should be able to drop them off without having legitimate concerns about derelict buildings, broken glass, dumping, antisocial behaviour or other hazards along the only access route available to them.
‘Tonight could have been considerably more serious and we believe it is appropriate that these longstanding concerns are now addressed before another incident occurs.’
The group thanked the Portarlington Fire Service for their extremely swift response and professionalism, saying: ‘As always, they are a credit to our community.’
