LAST UPDATE | 20 May 2025

A MAN HAS been hospitalised after a significant fire in Galway City yesterday.

Gardaí and emergency services were alerted to the fire at the Royal Court Business Centre in Liosban Industrial Estate at around 8.30pm.

There are residential apartments in the business centre, which is located near the Joyce Roundabout on the east side of the city.

The fire services were able to extinguish the fire last night and make the area safe. 

However, a man was taken to University Hospital Galway for treatment of injuries which are believed to be non-life-threatening at this time.

A garda spokesperson said that enquiries are ongoing.

Kenny’s Bookshop and Art Galleries is located nearby and its owner Tomás Kenny was at the scene last night.

Two of his staff members live in an apartment in the building that is on fire, but he said they were safe.

“They’re standing beside me now, so they’re fine,” he told The Journal.

Last night, he said it was his understanding that his book shop, which is separated from the business centre by a car park, had not been damaged.

“There’s a lot of smoke, so I don’t want to go in because smoke will destroy all the books,” he said.

Kenny remarked that the fire brigade had been spraying “an unbelievable amount of water” on the top of the building.