800 evacuated from Dublin nightclub after fire

An investigation is underway into the cause of a fire at a popular Dublin nightclub earlier this morning which led to the evacuation of around 800 people from the premises.

Dublin Fire Brigade were alerted after security staff at The Village on Wexford Street noticed smoke at around 1.20am.

Revellers were evacuated onto Wexford Street as firefighters dealt with the blaze.

A Garda spokeswoman said there were no injuries and damage to premises was not thought to be extensive.

It is understood the road was closed to traffic for a time. Five units from Dublin Fire Brigade attended the scene.

The building suffered minor damage to its front facade only and manager Conor Rooney said it will be open again for business this evening.

"It could have been an electrical fault," he said. "It's too early to say yet, it still has to be investigated. "We had about 800 people in the building evacuated within seven minutes.

"The guards and the fire brigade were on scene within four minutes of the alarm being raised. Everyone was calm and very good humoured about it."

Mr Rooney said staff were allowed back into the building by around 3am.

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