Homeless Laois fire victims are moved to Abbeyleix

SHOCKED residents left homeless after a fire ripped through their apartment block have been given a temporary lifeline but their long-term future is bleak.

A couple with a seven-month-old baby and another couple with two children, aged 10 and seven, are among those who spent the weekend in emergency accommodation at the Maldron Hotel in Portlaoise, after their homes were destroyed by a terrifying blaze in Portarlington on Thursday.

About 15 residents faced another nightmare this morning (Monday), when the booked-out Maldron could no longer take them. Surrounded by their few hastily-gathered belongings, they stood helplessly outside the hotel with nowhere to go.

Before lunchtime, Laois County Council’s housing section managed to organise a further two weeks’ emergency accommodation at the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel, although the council has no obligation to house private rental tenants.

While they are extremely grateful for the council’s assistance, residents are still in limbo and could be facing many months without a permanent home. The apartment block is run by a property management company.

More than 40 residents had to leave their apartments at The Oaks in Kilnacourt Woods, Portarlington, after a massive fire broke out in Block B shortly before 6am on Thursday. The three-storey block contains 18 units.

Flames were ripping through the roof when fire crews from Portarlington and Mountmellick arrived at the scene, joined later by the Portlaoise and Monasterevin services. A total of 41 firefighters attended the blaze with fire tenders, water tankers and a hydraulic platform.

Two injured men, aged in their 50s and 20s, were rushed to Tullamore hospital by ambulance. One was rescued from the second floor by firefighters, while another jumped from the burning building. The older man suffered serious injuries and is still being treated in hospital, while the second man has been discharged.

Caroline O’Sullivan, who has rented at The Oaks since 2019, said: “The county council, especially senior social worker Fionnuala Daly, have been absolutely amazing. They are the ones who put us up in the Maldron and now they have stepped up again. They couldn’t have been kinder or more helpful but we are still living a nightmare.

“As tenants, we are not covered by insurance. Only the landlords are covered. We don’t know what is going to happen next. This has brought us all together as a community but we are still in shock. The residents of 18 apartments are homeless.” 

Caroline, who rents a top floor apartment with her partner, woke with a headache in the early hours of Thursday morning and immediately got a strong smell of smoke. Within minutes, smoke alarms were going off in different apartments and shocked residents rushed to escape the inferno.

They included Hasnain Ijaz, who managed to get his wife and seven-month-old daughter to safety. The family is among those now living in the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel. 

A ground floor resident, Abbad Khalid, hammered on doors throughout the apartment block and made sure everyone was out. Caroline said: “Abbad is the superhero of our group. We are just glad that everyone managed to get out alive.” 

The emergency prompted an extraordinary community effort, as shocked residents were given shelter at Portarlington GAA club, assisted by county council housing staff, Laois Civil Defence and the Department of Social Protection.

Independent local councillor Aidan Mullins, who arrived at the scene before 7am, was among those involved in the community effort at the GAA club where devastated residents, some in their pyjamas, were comforted and given warm blankets, food and hot drinks.

Most residents were able to find a place to stay with family or friends but about 15 needed 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.

Homeless former residents are now anxiously waiting for an update on when repairs can begin on the building, as they face an uncertain and worrying future.