Tipperary Firefighters responding to the major wildfire on Slievenamon mountain returned to Cahir, to discover that vehicles belonging to crew members had allegedly been broken into and damaged.
The incidents occurred on Barrack Street, in Cahir, Co Tipperary, during the early hours of Saturday morning, while local crews were continuing their prolonged effort to control the mountain fire.
Tools, personal possessions and equipment used by some of the firefighters in their everyday work were reported stolen. Several cars, vans and jeeps were also damaged.
Gardaí are investigating a number of incidents of theft and criminal damage involving vehicles parked on Barrack Street between 12.30am and 1.30am on Saturday, 25 July.
A technical examination of the area has been carried out. Anyone who witnessed suspicious activity or travelled through the vicinity during that period is being asked to contact Cahir Gardaí.
Investigators are particularly interested in footage from dash cams or other recording devices.
The incident is considered as deeply demoralising for firefighters who had spent days away from their families battling the Slievenamon blaze. These selfless individuals haven’t been home to their families for days, while selfish disgusting lowlifes have taken advantage of them.
A fundraising page has since been established to support the firefighters affected by the thefts and help replace stolen equipment and damaged property.
The break-ins happened as emergency crews continued to tackle flare-ups and hotspots across Slievenamon.
Tipperary Fire and Rescue Service reported another difficult period on Saturday, with renewed fire activity on the mountain’s southern side, following an earlier reduction in intensity.
Ground operations were intensified today, Sunday, as crews responded to flare-ups and monitored the wider affected area. Specialist equipment has been deployed to help firefighters operate across the mountain’s challenging terrain.
A coordinated, multi-agency operation remains in place to contain the fire and prevent further spreading or reignition.
Smoke may remain visible at times, particularly on the eastern side of Slievenamon.
Residents, especially people with respiratory conditions, have been advised to take appropriate precautions when necessary.
The public is also being urged to remain clear of the affected areas and avoid interfering with emergency operations.
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