I questioned the Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy with regard to the safety issues I identified in the wake of the devastating fire at the tower attached to the Metro Hotel. His response shows that there is still much work left to be done. It is vital that all safety issues are dealt as a matter of urgency.

Deputy Dessie Ellis TD for Dublin North West this morning thanked the emergency services for their courageous work putting out the fire in the Tower attached to the Metro hotel and has raised a number of important questions on safety matters arising from the fire.

Deputy Ellis continued;

“Last night’s swift reaction to the fire in the tower attached to the Metro hotel by the emergency services undoubtedly helped save lives.

The fire brigade and the Gardai did a marvellous job in clearing the building and ensuring the safety of residents.

The staff in the building are also to be thanked for the roll they played in helping to evacuate the buildings.

Fire brigade personnel had the very dangerous task of working from floor to floor, apartment by apartment to ensure that no-one was left behind and working late into the night and the early morning to ensure that the fire was fully extinguished.

We owe the emergency services our deepest gratitude for the courage they showed in a very dangerous situation.

However we now need answers to a number of important questions.

How a fire could spread so quickly from floor to floor and from apartment to apartment?  How was it that the fire spread not just to apartments above the source of the fire but also to apartment below the source? Why didn’t the fire proofing methods in the building contain the fire more?  What triggered this fire?  How was the alarm raised?  Is it the case that the fire brigade ladder couldn’t reach the higher floors?

These questions need answers especially when you consider that we have even higher skyscrapers throughout the city.”