8 October 1997
By Aiden Henry
KNOCK Area Development Association have expressed grave concern over what they see as the perceived winding down of fire services in Knock village.
It follows the triple fire tragedy at the weekend and the Association believe it is the intention of Mayo County Council to remove the service entirely from the Marian Shrine.
This is despite the opening of a new fire station in the village in 1979. But to date no fire tenders or fire fighting equipment has been provided for the building.
One local resident said last night there was a better fire service in the area thirty years ago when a hose and latter squad, consisting of eight men, were on call.
Today, however, there were just two men attached to the service but they were without any fire fighting equipment.
The Association has been conducting a campaign for the upgrading of services to the village which attracts an annual throughput of 1.5 million pilgrims.
In addition to this there are three hotels, four convents and as many as thirty guesthouses in the area.
"We demand a proper fire fighting unit in Knock so that an emergency situation occurring in the future could be responded to more promptly", a spokesman for the association said.
