Dublin flats to be evacuated after court order finds building unsafe
A set of flats on Dublin's Northside are being evacuated over fire safety concerns.
The High Court has today granted an order saying they are not fit to be lived in.
Dublin City Council took the owners of the flats at 3 Kelly's Row, off Dorset street in the north inner city, to the High Court – saying they had failed to engage with fire safety officers and have improvement works carried out on the complex.
They told the court that there is a serious health and safety risk and that the buildings should not be used as accommodation with immediate effect.
Joseph Simpson, who is one of the owners, said they had been trying to move the tenants out for some time to carry out the work, but they were not leaving.
Mr Simpson consented to the order in court, which was granted by the President of the High Court, who said the building appeared to be in poor condition.
In a statement released after the court hearing, Mr Simpson claimed the fire safety issues had arisen due to vandalism.
"At the start of March 2015, the building was vandalised; fire doors were pulled down, the fire alarm panel and other fire equipment were damaged and the property was set on fire," he said.
"Since the incident, there has been substantial further damage to the property."
