Mayo pub fire a reminder to everyone to check their fire alarm

A FIRE which destroyed an iconic Mayo pub has prompted a Fine Gael councillor to plead with the public to ensure their fire alarm is working.

The High Chaparral pub in Geesala in Erris was totally destroyed when a fire ripped through the building last Friday morning leaving just a shell of the building standing.

Geesala-based councillor Gerry Coyle, who lives close to the pub, attended the scene of the fire in the early hours of last Friday, February 7 and described the sight of the fire burning as frightening.

READ: 'It's the light' – American photographer on why he keeps coming to Mayo

Speaking at the monthly meeting of Mayo County Council, Cllr Coyle said that the fire is a reminder to everyone to ensure they are prepared for a fire in their home or business.

“I was never at a burning building until the other night and what I saw the other night was frightening. I would say to anyone here to go home and check your fire alarm,” he told the meeting.

“It is absolutely frightening when you see one little flame come out through the roof and the whole thing is suddenly burning so fast in front of you. Everybody check the alarms and everything else.”

The alarm was raised just before 5am on Friday morning when local man Ollie Sweeney who was travelling to work noticed flames coming from the roof of The High Chaparral which has been run by the Munnelly family for the last 75 years.

The fire spread quickly through the pub and despite the best efforts of fire brigade units from Belmullet and Achill, they could not stop the fire from spreading. The building was empty at the time and there were no injuries. The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the fire service.

Cllr Coyle praised the response of the emergency services who attended the scene and appealed for Mayo County Council to ensure that the fire service have enough resources to deal with future fires.

“I want to thank the emergency service in Erris. The firemen were out in less than 25 minutes from Belmullet to Geesala and they would not have been able to do that if there were trees across the road.

“We have the biggest gas plant in the country supplying gas and make sure we have enough in Erris to cope with it. I don't care what it will cost, we are exporting all the electric and gas out so it is time to shout stop and make sure we have enough services,” he said.