Champion trainer Aidan O’Brien and his family were able to escape when a fire broke out at their home, rendering the house uninhabitable for the moment.
Gardaí believe the fire started accidentally and, while it was confined to some parts of the upstairs section of the house at the Ballydoyle racing operation in Co Tipperary, it caused substantial damage to that part of the property.
Investigators carried out a forensic examination of the scene yesterday in an attempt to establish the cause of the blaze, which broke out at about 10pm on Wednesday night.
It is thought to have started in an attic at the house, which is located close to the roadway, between the villages of Clerihan and Rosegreen, at the Ballydoyle training establishment.
Family members were at home at the time but were able to get out of the building after the alarm was raised and before the emergency services arrived. There were no injuries.
Aidan O’Brien and his wife, Ann-Marie, have lived there since 1996, and have raised their four children in Ballydoyle. Eldest son Joseph has emerged as a top flat jockey in recent years while all of the family are known to be involved in the day-to-day work of the stables.
Firefighters from Cahir and Cashel attended the scene and spent about two hours bringing the fire under control, spending most of the night at the location “damping it down”, said fire officer Tadhg O’Driscoll.
The stables are home to many international racing stars, including this year’s Epsom Derby winner, Camelot.