Abandoned car set on fire beside gas cylinders
By Aideen O'Flaherty
THE setting alight of a car that was situated next to gas cylinders at the rear of a shopping centre in the early hours of Tuesday morning, May 22, which caused significant damage to a local café, has been described as a “malicious” and “thoughtless” act.
A Nissan Micra was removed from the rear of Castletymon Shopping Centre in Tallaght on Monday evening, May 21, after gardai spotted that there had been attempts to set the care on fire next to gas cylinders located at the back of the centre.
The car was set alight in Castletymon shopping centre next to gas cylinders
Several hours later another car was parked in the same location and set ablaze, and when gardai attended the scene at 1.30am on the Tuesday morning the car was burned out and they could not identify the make and model of the vehicle.
The car was set alight to the rear of the GK Café, which has had a knock-on effect on the business as they have to repair smoke damage and water damage which has occurred as a result of the blaze, and it has also damaged the electrics in the premises.
Labour councillor Mick Duff told The Echo: “Setting the car on fire was a reckless, dangerous action, and it caused a lot of damage to the café.
Appalling
“The fact that it was beside the gas cylinders means it could’ve blown up the whole block – it’s appalling.
“I really want to get across that the community values the businesses in the area, and that this malicious, thoughtless anti-social behaviour puts lives and businesses at risk.
“It looked like a very deliberate act with the aim of causing a maximum amount of damage.”
A spokesperson for An Garda Siochana confirmed to The Echo that they had both vehicles removed from the area.
