Firefighters tackle major fire at derelict Navan mill

Gardai are investigating the cause of a blaze at a derelict mill in Navan last Thursday. Navan Fire Service spent several hours bringing the fire at the former Spicer's Mill under control and spent most of the day at the sce ne. Firefighters attended three separate fires at the derelict mill in the past week. As well as the blaze on Thursday, firefighters also were called to smaller fires at the premises on Sunday and also Tuesday of last week. Gardai are investigating the cause of Thursday's blaze and it is understood that it is not yet clear how the fire began. According to Gardai, the derelict mill is regularly used as a drinking den by youths. Two units of Navan Fire Brigade and a unit from Kells attended the fire which was discovered at around 9.15am on Thursday morning. It took several hours to bring the flames under control. Because the building is unstable, firefighters fought the blaze from the outside as it was considered unsafe to send crews into the blazing building. Fire crews spent most of the day dampening down the fire. With the mill being beside the river, the fire service was able to use large pumps to pump water from the Blackwater to quench the fire. A water/foam cannon was also used. Nobody was injured in the blaze.