Fire breaks out in Bridge House Hotel smoking area with 125 guests evacuated
Extensive damage has been caused to part of aTullamore hotel that is popular with Laois customers and wedding parties.
125 guests were evacuated from the Bridge House Hotel after a fire broke out in the smoking area of the hotel bar, early on Sunday morning July 19.
Offaly Fire and Rescue Service were alerted to the blaze at around 5.30am on Sunday morning.
Emergency services attended the renowned hotel and entertainment premises in the early hours of Sunday morning after the fire broke out in the smoking area overlooking the Tullamore River.
No injuries are being reported but emergency service crews confirmed there is extensive damage to the smoking garden and external wall.
A garda spokesperson confirmed: “Gardaí assisted the fire service at the scene of a fire at a business premises on Bridge Street, Tullamore in the early hours of this morning Sunday 19th July, 2026”.
“No persons were injured and there will be no criminal investigation,” the spokesperson added.
The streets around the hotel were closed for a time as gardaí, fire engines and an ambulance attended the scene.
Social media footage circulating shows flames billowing from the area near the river with some of the trees there catching fire.
Signs in the windows of the bar area say that the hotel is currently close until 12pm and apologises for any inconvenience caused.