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DUBLIN FIRE BRIGADE responded to 170 incidents across the county last night, with the majority being bonfires.
In a 24-hour period up to midnight last night, the Fire Brigade said it received 494 fire calls of which 421 were Halloween related.
Additionally, the total number of emergency ambulance calls received was 435.
“This year has seen an increase in both fire and EMS calls compared to recent downward trends,” a spokesperson for the Fire Brigade said.
“Some of our fire and ambulance crews experienced anti-social behaviour in the course of their duties, but thankfully no injuries were reported.”
The number of calls increased compared to the last two years. In 2023, the number of calls was 244, 185 of which were Halloween related
A map shared by the Fire Brigade showed that there were fires lit across all parts of the city as people celebrated Halloween.
As well as bonfires, firefighters were called to fire in bins, skips, and cargo containers. In one incident, fireworks were shot at people in Tallaght.
One fire was lit near an ESB sub station in Citywest.
In anticipation of the fires, Dublin City Council had removed more than 500 tonnes of bonfire material andgardaí urged the public to be safe and sensible.
In a post on X, the Fire Brigade showed its members tackling a blaze at a derelict house in Tallaght.
Three fire engines remain on scene at the derelict house fire in #Tallaght.
— Dublin Fire Boogade 👻 (@DubFireBrigade) October 31, 2024
Additional water supplies have been requested to the fireground#Halloween#SafeAtSamhain pic.twitter.com/HRjwOsh1RN
In another post, a firefighter can be seen using a saw to gain access to a clothes bank that had been set alight.
“Crews used a consaw to gain access and a high pressure hose reel to extinguish,” the Fire Brigade said.
Kilbarrack firefighters at a fire in a clothes bank. Crews used a consaw to gain access and a high pressure hose reel to extinguish.#SafeAtSamhain #Halloween pic.twitter.com/rvmHZ5vdba
— Dublin Fire Boogade 👻 (@DubFireBrigade) October 31, 2024
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service was also busy responding to incidents on Halloween night.
The Fire Brigade said it responded to 63 incidents and “several of the incidents were Halloween related, including 16 bonfires”.
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Why were those houses ever built on what is clearly a flood plain?
@eoin fitzpatrick: You took the words from my mouth. The location of these houses is complete madness.
@eoin fitzpatrick: Brown bag. It is as simple as that. Greed and corruption are good in this country.
@eoin fitzpatrick: my first thought exactly, it’s only when you see an aerial shot like that you can clearly see nothing should ever have been built there
@eoin fitzpatrick: class action law suit incoming from those residents against planning authority.
@Shimo F: Against themselves maybe. They could clearly find out. Anyone buying a house that close to a river and at the same level of a river isn’t the brightest.
@eoin fitzpatrick: I think fg have promised to put a roof over the entire country if re-elected
This is terrible news for all involved but is anybody asking “Stanley: New Homes”, who recently built The Meadows estate in question, why they built homes surrounded by The River Feale on 3 sides and didn’t disclose to residents that this land has always been a natural flood plain for the river? How often has it flooded like this in the past? Who approved the planning permission in the local authority? Was there a natura impact statement carried out as part of the planning process?
Housing crisis compounded by stupidity – yet again!
@Kieran Farrell: jesus, that’s shocking….when you say ‘recently built’…. like in the last decade??
@Kieran Farrell: Planning granted by the Local Authority for that was a flood plain, simple solution is to sue the Local Authority. This Local Authority don’t give local people planning permission on their own land with top notch sewage systems, yet they give a Developer planning for multiple Houses on a flood plain, same old ding dong in Ireland, it’s who you know & who you give your brown envelope to. The next Govt of FF & SF will bring this to another level again. Ireland is a failed State.
@Kieran Farrell: CORRECTION – The Meadows was built in 2006, and ‘Stanley: New Homes’ were not involved.
@Kieran Farrell: Fair enough! Thanks fir clarification
@SV3tN8M4: Virtually impossible to sue the local authority.
@Kieran Farrell: the flooding was described today as a once in 100 year event. The height of the river was measured at 4m on Saturday afternoon – the next highest ever recorded was 3.5m in 1973. I’m not sure that bad planning decisions is the cause this weekends flooding
@Kieran Farrell: If you are dumb enough to buy a house on a flood plain, it’s on you.
Terrible, obviously condolences to everyone effected. Does the aerial view tell a story? Like why are so many housing estates within 100 yards of an oxbowing river? Seems mad, but I know little of geography or surveying land for development.
@Thesaltyurchin: ask the Healy Rae’s
@Temp Stuff: Healy rea’s aren’t from Listowel
I feel so sorry for those people.
Nothing worse than flooding and just before Xmas.
@Stanley Marsh: Christmas
The FG fella was straight out with the standard party line ‘ lessons will be learned’
But we have to help the rest of the world,that’s the most concerning thing for the politicians of Ireland. Never mind our own, especially the people of Listowel, Killybegs and the rest of the country affected by the detrimental weather. Shur here’s an idea, let’s just worry and support every swinging dog across the work’s who needs our generosity. Let’s give them money, refuge, support while our own have homes & businesses destroyed. Shur never mind, it’s only our country at the end of the day.
@Brian Barry: *Works =World.. Just in case ye lefty punctuation police come knocking!!
@Brian Barry: Eamon is on his way back from the annual jolly, COP where he signed us up as a donor for a 300Billion ( per annum) dollar windfall ….. You couldn’t make it up in a Hollywood comedy
Cost us 200million to build flood defences in 2 years time. Lot of money for incompetence in Kerry coco
Boom time building with ‘no holds barred’ planning permissions given to those who knew who to give the brown envelope to
A photo of houses built on a flood plain. Interesting planning.
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