Firefighters battle blaze at former landmark hotel
Firefighters are tackling a blaze tonight at the landmark former Sacre Coeur Hotel in Salthill.
Extensive damage has already been caused to the ground floor of the building, and the blaze has spread to the upper floors.
It is understood that nobody was in the premises at the time, and Gardaí forensic investigators will carry out an examination of the building after the fire is brought under control.
The alarm was raised shortly before 7pm and four units of Fire and Rescue Galway, a water tanker and a fire brigade mobile command centre are in place outside the hotel, which closed down in 2005.
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Gardaí have sealed off approach roads at Lenaboy Gardens and at Oaklands, and the area is heavily trafficked at the moment due to large crowds of onlookers and diverted traffic.
Members of the Dunleavy family - who sold the premises to a property developer more than a decade ago - are among the onlookers.