Investigations ongoing into house fire in Offaly

Gardai say they are still investigating the circumstances surrounding a fire at a vacant property in Clara.

The blaze which started at 7.30pm on September 6 completely gutted the building. No injuries were reported.

Clive Duke, Senior Assistant Chief Fire officer with Offaly Fire Service, said the fire service was alerted at 19.35 on Wednesday last.

Units from Tullamore and Clara attended the scene and a tanker from Tullamore was also brought.

The house was a derelict two storey building.

Mr Duke said the house was ''well alight by the time the fire service arrived and a significant amount of damage was done to the premises.''

Prior to leaving the site at 11.30pm, Mr Duke said the walls of the building had to be pulled down with a JCB in order to make it safe.

He said the house was partially constructed on an old building site at Kilbride. He believes it was probably built about 10 years ago.

''Before we left we poured a lot of water on the building. We wouldn't be happy leaving a building unless it was safe,'' said Mr Duke.