Frightening footage shows Vicar Street fire up close

Filmed from an adjoining apartment, thick black smoke can be seen billowing skywards from the flames in the popular nightspot.

The fire broke out just before noon and was quickly brought under control by emergency crews from Dublin Fire Brigade who prevented the flames from spreading to other parts of the venue.

But a flat roof area within the complex was totally destroyed in the fire, and the charred remains of the wooden beams that supported it, along with some melted plastic, were all that remained of it today.

Witness Noah Buckley, who lives in an apartment beside Vicar Street, said he first became aware of the fire after hearing noises.

“I was in the kitchen and I heard the crackle of fire and I thought it was strange. Then I heard fire extinguishers being set off and some shouting, and I looked out my window and I could see smoke and flames coming from the far corner of the roof beside my apartment,” he told Independent.ie.

“The smoke was really strong, and then someone started banging on my door and I was told I had to get out, so I left.”

“There was a lot of activity and smoke, and I thought living so close to the fire that there would be damage in my apartment, and smoke, but there is a wall that seemed to protect the building I’m in, and I was really surprised when I was let back in that there was no damage at all, not even a smell of smoke,” he added.

There were no reports of injuries in the blaze, which sent dramatic plumes of black smoke high up into the sky over the south city over the Vicar Street, Meath Street and Thomas Street area.

A spokesperson for the Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB) said the Eastern Regional Control Centre started receiving reports of the building on fire just before noon.

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Four units of the DFB battled the blaze from the DFB headquarters at Tara Street, as well as crews from Dolphins Barn and Donnybrook.

An extendable turntable ladder was used by firefighters to assess the damage from above.

Gardai evacuated the area and closed off Thomas Street while the fire was being fought, with local diversions put in place.

The fire was extinguished within an hour but some DFB personnel stayed at the scene afterwards to assess the damage and prevent the fire reigniting.

The cause of the fire is not yet known but is believed to be accidental.

It is understood the damage to the building from the fire is not significant and was confined to one roof, but there was a lot of water used to extinguish the flames which would have caused some water damage also.

Vicar Street owner Harry Crosbie was back at the venue this morning assessing the damage, but declined to comment on the fire or the extent of the damage.