A house fire on Clare Island last Friday afternoon was quenched when islanders used over 43 fire-extinguishers provided by the Government for each household just before Christmas.
Manager of Clare Island Community Co-Operative Mr Donal O'Shea said while the islanders were very grateful to the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Mr Éamon Ó Cuív, and Mayo County Council, for the provision of the extinguishers and smoke alarms, islanders had taken serious risks to extinguish the fire. It partly destroyed the new home of Mr Tom Pinder and Ms Maureen Pinder and their three young children.
"It was very fortunate that the fire was detected within minutes and in the middle of the day," said O'Shea. "While human tragedy was averted, if there had been an explosion there could have been loss of life as those extinguishing the blaze had to stand so close to the fire." O'Shea stated that fire-hydrants at each home, hoses and proper firefighting gear should be introduced to the islands.
According to islander Mr Bernard McCabe, whose three aunts died in a fire on Inishbofin in 1999, every island should have a trained firefighter and a mobile pressurised water tank.
An insurance inspector who visited the scene of the fire yesterday told Mr Pinder that he and his family were very lucky that the fire had been contained.
The Pinders stated that "if it wasn't for the efficiency of the islanders, who converged to help from nearly every home on the island, the situation would have been much worse".