Gorey Fire Service are pictured at the scene of the fire at the Gorey ghost estate, Coill na Giúise. Pic: Christy Farrell.

An investigation is under way into the strange circumstances in which fire swept through a boarded up house on the controversial ‘ghost estate’ known as Coill na Giúise, at Ballytegan, on the outskirts of Gorey, last Sunday evening.

The alarm was raised by a local family who observed smoke rising from the roof of a house located inside a high wall and behind locked gates at around 7 pm and two units of Gorey Fire Service rushed to the scene.

The fire was contained in a semi-detached house of timber-frame construction, it was prevented from spreading to other buildings, and the blaze was brought under control after a short time.

It is unknown how the blaze started, however, some locals have reported anti-social behaviour on the site in recent times, and believe somebody may have been in the house earlier.

Full story today in THE GOREY ECHO.