Restaurant blaze treated as arson

Press, 15 July 1985, Page 5

Restaurant blaze treated as arson

The police are treating as arson a fire which badly damaged the Cedars of Lebanon Restaurant at the corner of Tuam Street and Colombo Street on Saturday night. Water and smoke damage estimated at several thousand dollars cost was also caused to clothing stock in Galvins Bargain Store, on the ground floor of the same building.

A police spokesman said the fire appeared to have been lit about midnight, 20 minutes after the restaurant had closed and staff had left the building. Restaurant equipment and furnishings

had been set alight, and it appeared that fat from the kitchen had been used as an accelerant. The fire centred on the kitchen, which was badly damaged along with the foyer and part of the dining area. The building was not structurally damaged. Eight fire engines attended, including a snorkel and the emergency tender. The fire took about an hour to bring under control. Water used to put out the blaze in the restaurant leaked into Galvins Bargain Store downstairs, damaging clothing, wall linings, and

carpet. Staff of the store spent yesterday moving the stock out. It will be sold in a fire sale. The store’s proprietor, Mr John Galvin, said that the stock would probably be adequately covered by insurance.

A man in a passing car got out of his vehicle and grabbed a bag of clothing that was left on the path as the stock was being taken out of the store yesterday. “It makes you lose faith in human nature,” Mr Galvin said.

Jeans, underwear, and casual clothing were soiled by the fire. _