Fire closes popular winebar

One of the city’s best loved winebars was badly damaged by a fire early on Sunday morning.

Three units of Galway Fire Brigade attended the fire at Le Petit Rouge on Dominick Street before 8am and brought the blaze under control quickly.

It appeared to have started at the back of the premises, according to Galway gardai.

“It seems the fire occurred as a result of some electrical fault. There is considerable smoke damage to the premises,” a spokeswoman said.

Residents living over the winebar and music venue had to be evacuated while firemen ensured there was no further safety risk. 

Dominick Street was closed to traffic for a few hours during the incident.

The winebar has become a popular edition to the city’s nightlife since it opened across the street from its mother restaurant, Rouge. It has become an alternative venue for music and recently was home to a number of exhibitions.

It will be closed for some weeks while experts assess the damage.