Man taken to hospital following Kerry house fire

Woman described hearing a loud bang before seeing nearby house ablaze

Gardaí and units from Kerry Fire Brigade attended the scene in Tralee, Co Kerry. File photograph: Alan Betson
Gardaí and units from Kerry Fire Brigade attended the scene in Tralee, Co Kerry. File photograph: Alan Betson

A man in his 40s has been taken to hospital following what is believed to have been an explosion and fire at a house in Tralee, Co Kerry.

Gardaí and units from Kerry Fire Brigade attended the scene. The fire broke out at a house near the Manor West Hotel shortly after 5pm on Wednesday.

One woman who was donating blood at the hotel recalled hearing a “loud bang”, adding that the building she was in “shook” before occupants left and saw the nearby house ablaze.

The scene has been preserved for a technical examination, which will be carried out on Thursday, a Garda spokesman said.

Four people were evacuated from the two-storey house. Among them was a man in his 40s who was brought to University Hospital Kerry for treatment of injuries, though they were not believed to be life-threatening.

No other injuries were reported.

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Jack White

Jack White

Jack White is a reporter for The Irish Times