Fund for Laois fire victims nears €2,800
Still from a video taken by Junior Dowling at the scene of the apartment block blaze
A FUNDRAISER for victims of a terrifying apartment block blaze has collected almost €2,800 in the first week.
The online appeal ‘Families affected by fire in Kilnacourt Woods, Portarlington’ received almost €1,500 in the first 12 hours, after it opened on 25 February. The total reached €2,777 this morning (Monday), with donations still coming in.
The GoFundMe appeal was set up by rental tenant Caroline O’Sullivan, on behalf of all residents of Block B at The Oaks in Kilnacourt Woods, who lost their homes and most of their belongings in the blaze on 20 February.
Residents of the 18-unit apartment block who had to flee their homes include a couple with a seven-month-old baby girl and a couple with two children, a boy and girl aged 10 and seven. They have emergency accommodation at the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel until 10 March, arranged by Laois County Council, but most have nowhere to go after next Monday.
Caroline, who lived at The Oaks since 2019, explains in the fundraiser:
‘These families were evacuated with just the clothes on their backs and there is little hope of them being able to salvage anything, due to water and smoke damage. We are asking for donations to help these families, so they can replace some of what has been lost to them.’
Meanwhile, Killenard community centre opened for donations of children’s clothes for the families last Wednesday and Thursday, as communities continue to try to help shocked residents.
More than 40 people had to leave their apartments at The Oaks, after a massive fire broke out in Block B shortly before 6am.
Most were able to find a place to stay with family or friends but about 15 are in emergency accommodation. Three apartments were destroyed in the fire, while the remaining 15 suffered severe water and smoke damage and there is serious structural damage.
