Apartment damaged by fire

An Athlone apartment was damaged by fire after a candle was left unattended yesterday evening.

Two units of Athlone Fire Brigade responded to a call from the Kilmacuagh Avenue area of the town, just off the Dublin Road, shortly after 6.30pm on Thursday (September 23). On arrival, the fire crews discovered the blaze contained in a bedroom where a candle was lit.

The apartment block was evacuated as they worked to extinguish the blaze. Luckily, it didn't spread far before it was put out, but the room was damaged.

The fire crews left the scene at approximately 7.45pm.

“With Fire Safety Week only around the corner, it's a timely reminder as the evenings draw in that fires can occur quite easily when you least expect them,” Pat Hunt, who is Senior Assistant Chief Officer, told the Westmeath Independent on Friday.

He appealed to the public to be vigilant in terms of the importance of fire safety.

National Fire Safety Week, which takes place between October 4 to 11 next, aims to enhance fire safety, particularly in the home.

This year the main theme is 'Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives – Test Yours Weekly'.