A fire broke out on Thursday evening at the former Crown Paints warehouse in Coolock, Dublin, which is being prepared to house international protection applicants.
A number of videos were posted on social media showing flames coming from the building with protesters outside cheering.
The fire brigade said the fire has been contained within the lobby area.
The site has been the scene of violence and unrest over plans to house international protection applicants in the former warehouse.
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Dublin Fire Brigade personnel had brought the blaze under control and had left the site just after 10pm. Although a crowd of about 200 people remained gathered at the site after the fire was extinguished, they were located across the Malahide Road as gardaí had taken up position directly outside the former paint factory.
A number of Garda vans and cars were parked outside the entrance, with gardaí also on foot there and on the meridian between the two carriageways, which remained open to traffic.
A significant portion of the Garda presence was comprised of Public Order Unit, or riot squad, with personnel in vans in a car park across the road from the site ready to be deployed if required.
A total of 21 people have been arrested and brought before the courts in relation to the unrest in Coolock earlier this week. More arrests are expected as gardaí identify suspects on CCTV and the newly acquired Garda body cameras.
While the blaze did not damage the main factory structure, it is an embarrassment to the Garda, coming as it does after a major four-day operation to remove a protestors’ camp located at the entrance to the building since March. While that camp was removed on Monday and a concrete structure erected across the entrance, significant disorder occurred on Monday, with 30 arrests taking place. There were more minor disturbances on Tuesday and another significant Garda presence in the area on Wednesday and Thursday.
The fire is a suspected arson incident and, if arson is proven, it raises serious questions about the security of the site. It also underlines the security challenge the Garda faces to protect the factory, including through planned renovation works to ready it as accommodation for hundreds of IPAs it is earmarked for.
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