Fire attack won't silence me, vows councillor
A councillor vowed not to be intimidated today after a gas cylinder was set alight in a burning pyre of tyres outside her Co Carlow home.
Green Party Cllr Mary White said it was simply a matter of luck that no-one was injured as the cylinder exploded in the second attack on her home in two weeks.
Fire engines rushed to Ms White’s home at Borris in Co Carlow after the blazing cylinder of gas sent flames soaring 50 feet high in the early hours of last Saturday morning.
“It was a completely reckless act that could have caused major damage and fatalities,” she said. “It was the explosion that alerted us, it was like being in the middle of a war zone – it was like an exploding bomb. We know the flames soared to 50 feet as they burned branches off Beech trees outside our home.”
Ms White said she had been outspoken against dumping in the area and the racing of cars on the scenic Blackstairs Mountain, particularly around the Nine Stones area. “I am presuming it is someone involved in this,” she said.
“I believe very strongly in speaking out against the increasing instances of dumping and littering in Co Carlow and the flouting of the Waste Management Act by the dumping, burying and burning of waste. Criminal acts will not deter me from speaking out strongly on the issues on the dumping of waste and litter, and damage to the Mount Leinster area from the over use of quads and boy racers.”
Ms White said the acts of vandalism would make her more determined to speak out against the dumping of cars and vandalism at the Nine Stones close to Mount Leinster.
“These cowardly acts of criminal behaviour will not deflect me from voicing my concerns on ongoing issues of vandalism and wanton acts of violence in Carlow,” she said.
The councillor said over the last number of years nine cars had been dumped, and some set alight in the Nine Stones area.
The party’s deputy leader said after the gas cylinder exploded outside her home at around 1am on Saturday, February 18, both gardaí and the fire brigade had to be called to contain the blaze.
The first attack around two weeks ago also involved the burning of tyres but had not included the potentially lethal gas cylinder.
“It certainly seems to have got much more savage in what was done, to explode a cylinder of gas is a much more reckless act, and is criminal,” she said.
