Parts of Grafton Street and Nassau Street in Dublin were sealed off last night as seven Fire Brigade units fought a fire in a well-known city-centre pub and nightclub.
The fire started on the premises of Judge Roy Beans bar and restaurant and Lillies Bordello club at 7.30 p.m. last night. The pub, restaurant and neighbouring premises were safely evacuated, and no injuries were reported. The nightclub was closed and unoccupied at the time.
The fire started in the kitchen of Judge Roy Beans downstairs, spreading up to the roof, which fire officials informed gardai had sustained a great deal of damage and was in danger of collapsing last night.
A Fire Brigade spokesman said the blaze had been brought under control by 9 p.m. The bulk of the damage was confined to the rear of Judge Roy Beans. Lillies Bordello sustained some smoke damage.
Customers who were in Judge Roy Beans when the fire started said the bar was crowded when a fire alarm went off. A few minutes later bar staff told people there was a fire and they had to leave.
A spokeswoman for the Egan group, which owns the pub and nightclub, said the fire had started in a vent in the kitchen of Judge Roy Beans.