UP TO 20 residents of an apartment complex in Sandyford, south Dublin, were evacuated on Saturday after high winds blew the roofs off two buildings.
A Garda spokesman said gusts of wind caused large sections of roofs on two blocks at the Sandyford View apartments to fly off shortly before 11.30am.
Although no one was injured, extensive damage was caused to the two apartment blocks.
The debris blew into a car park, and several cars, which were parked inside the complex, were damaged by falling timber and other debris.
Gardaí and several units of the Dublin Fire Brigade attended the scene and the area was sealed-off for several hours.
The roof of a third apartment block also became dislodged during the winds but remained on the building.
The residents of 10 upper-level apartments and penthouses were forced to relocate to a nearby hotel for the night.
Met Éireann had forecast that many parts of the country would be hit by strong southerly gales on Saturday, with some gusting up to 140km/h.
Glencullen Sinn Féin representative Shaun Tracey has called for an immediate investigation into how such an incident could occur in new apartments.
Mr Tracey said thousands of people have moved into apartment complexes in the Sandyford/ Stepaside area of south Dublin and many residents would be very concerned that an apartment roof could blow off in winds of such strength.
“Though we are experiencing some bad weather today and gale-force winds, people rightly believe that their homes have been built to a standard that can withstand such conditions,” said Mr Tracey.
“Residents should have the right to know if the building was built to the required standards,” he added.
