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Fire brigade rush to Championship stadium as blaze erupts in laundry room ahead of huge clash

Fire brigade rush to Championship stadium as blaze erupts in laundry room ahead of huge clash

The Irish Sun25-04-2025

FIRE CREWS were called to tackle a fire at Luton Town football club.
Pictures and videos shared on social media showed the home of the football club, Kenilworth Road, on fire on Friday evening.
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Fire crews were seen tackling the blaze on Friday evening
Credit: https://x.com/dawkinscov1980/status/1915863364422586613
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Fire crews have been called to Luton Town's Kenilworth Road
Credit: Alamy
Firefighters were seen battling the blaze as black smoke billowed from the stadium.
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to the scene at 8:08pm.
Firefighters said they wore breathing apparatus and used a 30ft aerial platform and two hose reels during the incident.
The fire was under control and extinguished within two hours.
It is said to have originated in the laundry room of the stadium.
The BBC report crews remained on the scene and a full road closure was still in place on Hatters Way hours later.
The shocking scenes come hours before the Championship outfit are due to play Coventry in a huge clash.
That clash, which could be pivotal in the Hatter's battle against relegation, was due to start at 12:30pm.
Most read in Football
It was unclear whether the match would be affected by the incident.
However, a statement released by the club at 10:39pm confirmed there would be "no disruption" to the fixture with Coventry.
The full statement said: "We would like to advise supporters that following reports of an incident at Kenilworth Road this evening, there is no disruption to tomorrow's fixture with Coventry City taking place.
Smoke was found to be coming from a small appliance that had caught fire in the stadium's laundry room, which was contained within that area and has been dealt with swiftly to prevent any substantial damage.
We would like to offer a huge thank you to Beds Fire & Rescue for their quick intervention, along with club partners and staff who are also on site to help resolve the issue and ensure that everything is now safe.
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Gearóid Hegarty and Tom Morrissey ‘the line that sets Limerick apart from everyone else'
Gearóid Hegarty and Tom Morrissey ‘the line that sets Limerick apart from everyone else'

Irish Times

timean hour ago

  • Irish Times

Gearóid Hegarty and Tom Morrissey ‘the line that sets Limerick apart from everyone else'

They made their championship debuts on the same day: June 19th, 2016. Limerick deployed Gearóid Hegarty on Pádraic Maher, as a one-man anti-missile defence. Tom Morrissey came on 10 minutes before Hegarty was replaced and scored a worthless goal in stoppage time. Tipperary played with 14 men for over an hour and still won. It was Limerick's night before Limerick's day. For Morrissey and Hegarty, their glittering futures were not a figment of anyone's imagination yet. Hegarty had begun the year on the Limerick football panel because that was the only offer on the table. Morrissey was a couple of years younger than Hegarty but some of his peers from the under-21 squad were on a faster track. After Tipp, Limerick met Westmeath in the first round of the qualifiers and Morrissey played no part. You know what happened in the end: the All-Irelands, the awards, the acclaim, the Marvel Comics stuff. In a team of difference-makers and rainmakers and Hall of Famers, Morrissey and Hegarty became essential. The yeast in the loaf. In the Munster final on Saturday, they will make their 50th championship appearance together. On every other line in the Limerick team there have been degrees of flux: different centrefield partnerships, rotation among the inside forwards, churn in the full-back line. At 10 and 12, though, Morrissey and Hegarty have stood as pillars. READ MORE 'That is the line that sets Limerick apart from everyone else,' says Barry Cleary, co-founder of GAA Insights and who has worked as an analyst with a range of intercounty teams in recent years. 'Everyone else struggles with their half-forward line – chopping and changing. Those two lads, they're just dominant in those positions. They go up and down [the flank] and up and down. You look at other teams: they have half forwards who can come back the field but can't get back up. Then there's guys who just stay forward. Morrissey and Hegarty do everything.' [ Joe Canning: Limerick's unrivalled big-match experience gives them edge over Cork in Munster final Opens in new window ] Though their paths converged they didn't start from the same place. Morrissey captained Limerick to win the under-21 All-Ireland in 2017, and while he suffered a run of dull form in the middle of that season and was taken off in the final, scoreless, his potential was not the subject of second thoughts. For Hegarty, the problem was persuading people to look at him twice and think again. He was a gangly teenager, and like a crossword, he was full of blanks and cryptic clues. For two years he was part of the Limerick minor hurling panel, and in his second season he failed to make the match-day squad. It sounds outlandish now, but not then. It didn't represent a blind spot in anyone's judgment. The clues were obscure. In his late teens the Limerick footballers saw a blank canvass. Hegarty tells a story from his first gym session with the group in UL. The players were asked to bench press three-quarters of their body weight and Hegarty was paired with Garrett Noonan, who was about the same size. Noonan did 25 reps at 70kg and Hegarty stepped up for his turn. Gearóid Hegarty, seen here with Dan Morrissey in last month's Round 4 match against Cork in Limerick. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho 'I said, 'Jesus, this can't be too bad,'' said Hegarty. 'I got down and I couldn't even lift the bar. I was never so embarrassed in all my life. I swore to myself, 'That will never happen again'.' TJ Ryan was manager of the Limerick senior hurlers when Hegarty was eventually called up. 'How raw was he?' Ryan was asked once. 'Oh, jeepers, as raw as could be. I don't even know how you could measure it.' Hegarty, though, railed against that perception. In his mind it was like stripping down a layer of wallpaper; the blockwork was still there. 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McAteer strikes as Hallgrimsson belatedly introduced to Ireland's 1-1 trademark
McAteer strikes as Hallgrimsson belatedly introduced to Ireland's 1-1 trademark

Irish Examiner

time9 hours ago

  • Irish Examiner

McAteer strikes as Hallgrimsson belatedly introduced to Ireland's 1-1 trademark

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Inside Schumacher's inner circle as F1 boss reveals who ‘regularly' sees tragic star… & his shock at pal who WON'T visit
Inside Schumacher's inner circle as F1 boss reveals who ‘regularly' sees tragic star… & his shock at pal who WON'T visit

The Irish Sun

time13 hours ago

  • The Irish Sun

Inside Schumacher's inner circle as F1 boss reveals who ‘regularly' sees tragic star… & his shock at pal who WON'T visit

AN F1 boss has revealed insider information on Michael Schumacher's inner circle - like who "regularly" visits him and his shock at one pal who won't. Schumacher hasn't been in the public eye since 7 Schumacher lifts the trophy after victory in the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo, Monaco Credit: Getty 7 German formula one world champion Michael Schumacher of Ferrari hugs his wife Corinna in 2004 Credit: Alamy 7 Ex-Red Bull chief Richard Hopkins has spoken out about the star Credit: Re-Engineering Australia Foundation 7 The F1 legend's family Now ex-Red Bull chief Richard Hopkins has spoken out about the star - and revealed who regularly him. He told "I believe Luca Badoer, who is a close family friend, visits him. read more f1 "If there is a third, I don't know who that would be." But Hopkins also spoke of a pal who won't visit Schumacher - He added: "Flavio is, as we know, a flamboyant character. I would have thought he would have probably been the first person who would have wanted to see Michael in whatever way that was. But you have to respect that decision. "That's down to the individual. Not necessarily shared by all. I know there are close friends that go and see Schumacher and that's their own choice and for their own reasons. Most read in Motorsport "But Flavio has obviously got his and it's very deep and personal how we remember people, and how we want to remember people. "I think we all have to respect that one." Michael Schumacher's Monaco Grand Prix-Winning Ferrari F2001 In 2020 Briatore's former wife Elisabetta Gregoraci claimed that: 'Michael doesn't speak, he communicates with his eyes.' Addressing this rumour, Hopkins said: "I'm not in that circle to know the absolute facts about Schumacher. Not many people are. Does he communicate through his eyes? Quite possibly. "There is rumour he does watch Grand Prixs. But this is just speculation and perhaps unfair for anyone to make assumptions and guesses. "Any remark I make will be unqualified as well in that sense, so it's difficult to be drawn on it." In April, Schumacher belonging to fellow F1 icon Sir Jackie Stewart with help from Corinna. The helmet will be auctioned to raise money for Stewart's charity Race Against Dementia . But Hopkins has described the signing as potentially being a "one-off". He said: "I suspect that [Jackie Stewart helmet signature] gesture was a one-off. There was a lot of media around that and maybe for the family too much media. 7 Michael Schumacher and Flavio Briatore Credit: Getty - Contributor 7 Alpine F1 Team Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore looks on in the paddock during qualifying Credit: Getty 7 Race winner Michael Schumacher celebrates on the podium in 1994 Credit: Alamy "They try to keep everything quiet and private, so I'd hazard a guess that it was a one-off. 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January 2014 - Schumacher fights for his life : Schumacher remains in a coma. Doctors describe his condition as 'critical but stable'. His family, led by wife Corinna, remains at his bedside. The world's F1 community rallies behind him, with fans holding vigils outside the hospital. June 2014 - Schumacher brought out of his coma : After nearly six months, Schumacher is brought out of his coma. His family confirms he is no longer in a coma but gives no further health details. He is transferred from Grenoble to a rehabilitation facility in Lausanne, Switzerland. September 2014 - Back home: Schumacher is moved to his family home near Lake Geneva. Corinna announces he will continue his recovery at home, with a dedicated medical team. 2015–2018 - Mystery surrounding his health: Reports suggest Schumacher is receiving round-the-clock medical care at home, costing £50,000 per week. Jean Todt reveals he still visits Schumacher and that they watch F1 races together. May 2017 - German magazine sued by Schumacher's family: The magazine Bunte has to pay Michael Schumacher €50,000 (£42,000) in damages after claiming in 2015 that Schumacher would walk again. The Hamburg regional court determined that the statement was false and infringed upon Schumacher's right to privacy. September 2019 - Schumacher secretly transferred to Paris : French media reports that Schumacher is taken to Paris for stem cell therapy at the Georges-Pompidou Hospital. The procedure is led by renowned surgeon Dr. Philippe Menasché. Details of the treatment remain undisclosed. December 2019 - Manager issues rare statement : Schumacher's longtime manager Sabine Kehm says his condition will remain private. She dismisses speculation and false reports about his health. September 2021 - Netflix documentary 'Schumacher' released : A new Netflix documentary, Schumacher, provides rare insights into his life. Corinna speaks publicly about his condition for the first time, saying: 'Michael is here. Different, but he's here, and that gives us strength.' December 2023 - 10 years since the accident : Schumacher turns 55. The anniversary of his accident is marked by tributes from the F1 world. Jean Todt confirms he still sees Schumacher regularly and describes his visits as 'full of affection'. September 2024 - Daughter Gina's wedding : Gina Schumacher, 27, marries longtime boyfriend Iain Bethke at the family's £27million Majorca villa. Reports claim Schumacher attends the wedding, but close friend Johnny Herbert later calls it 'A1 fake news'. Guests are reportedly required to hand over their phones to prevent leaks. December 2024 - Schumacher to become a grandfather : Gina announces she is pregnant, three months after her wedding. She shares the news on Instagram, writing: 'Impatiently awaiting the arrival of our little girl.'

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