A hotel in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, was destroyed by fire yesterday. The blaze broke out on one of the upper bedroom floors of Murphy-Flood's Hotel in Market Square in the centre of Enniscorthy.
The fire service was alerted shortly before 9pm on Sunday and arrived within minutes.
The management evacuated customers from the bar in the hotel's ground floor.
There were no guests staying in the bedrooms on the two upper floors because the hotel had recently changed hands.
The two upper floors were destroyed, along with the roof.
The cost of the damage is estimated to be several million euro. However, the ground floor sustained only water damage.
Wexford chief fire officer Maria Melia said firefighters brought the blaze under control and had managed to prevent any damage to the butcher's shop and pub adjoining the hotel.
"It is an old hotel, a landmark in the town. But thankfully no one was injured," she said.
The firefighters remained at the scene for most of the night to dampen down the premises and ensure the fire did not restart.
Ms Melia said firefighters had moved into the hotel to tackle the blaze but were forced to evacuate when part of the roof came crashing down.
"By the time the fire crews arrived, the fire was well ablaze in the bedroom section.
"Given the age of the building, and its timber floors, it spread quite quickly," she said.
Fire brigade units from Enniscorthy, Wexford, Bunclody and Carlow attended the scene.
The cause of the blaze is not yet known but it will be investigated by gardaí.