Firefighters battle blaze after car crashes into gate lodge at Dunsink Observatory

Three units of Dublin Fire Brigade responded to the blaze at the grounds of the landmark building.

By Daragh Brophy Tuesday 26 Jul 2016, 8:18 AM

Jul 26th 2016, 8:18 AM 17,864 Views 11 Comments

http://jrnl.ie/2895654

THREE UNITS OF Dublin Fire Brigade responded to a call-out at one of west Dublin’s landmark buildings last evening.

A car crashed into a gate lodge building at Dunsink Observatory, the country’s oldest scientific institution, shortly before 6pm last night.

It burst into flames – and fire units from Finglas, Phibsborough and Blanchardstown were called to the scene to bring the blaze under control.

The last firefighters left the scene at around 9pm last night.

Crews attended a gate house fire at Dunsink Observatory after a car was driven in to the house & set alight #Dublin pic.twitter.com/idKkVdxCJa
— Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) July 25, 2016

Source: Dublin Fire Brigade/Twitter

It’s not clear if the car went on fire after it crashed into the building, or was set alight. An investigation is under way.

The building was derelict, and no-one was injured.

Built in the 1780s for the first Andrews’ Professor of Astronomy in Trinity College Dublin, the observatory is located on a hill 8km northwest of the city centre, around a kilometre from the M50.

According to its website, it is now mainly used as residential accommodation and a venue to hire for small meetings and workshops.

Read: Body discovered at Navan Retail Park >

Read: Community rallies to help Irishman injured in Australia >

Short URL

About the author:

About the author

Daragh Brophy

daragh@thejournal.ie

See more articles by Daragh Brophy

Contribute to this story:

COMMENTS (11)

This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.

write a comment

Leave a commentcancel

Facebook

Twitter

Share Comment on Facebook or Twitter

∞

About Us

Corrections

Report Content

Policies

TheJournal.ie supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, PH: (01) 6489130, Lo-Call 1890 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie

Please note that TheJournal.ie uses cookies to improve your experience and to provide services and advertising. For more information on cookies please refer to our cookies policy.

News images provided by Press Association and Photocall Ireland unless otherwise stated. Irish sport images provided by Inpho Photography unless otherwise stated. Wire service provided by Associated Press.

Journal Media does not control and is not responsible for user created content, posts, comments, submissions or preferences. Users are reminded that they are fully responsible for their own created content and their own posts, comments and submissions and fully and effectively warrant and indemnify Journal Media in relation to such content and their ability to make such content, posts, comments and submissions available. Journal Media does not control and is not responsible for the content of external websites.

Firefighters battle blaze after car crashes into gate lodge at Dunsink Observatory

Three units of Dublin Fire Brigade responded to the blaze at the grounds of the landmark building.

Read: Body discovered at Navan Retail Park >