HIQA inspection found ongoing fire-safety failures at Buncrana Nursing Unit

HIQA has issued an excoriating report on persistent fire safety failures at Buncrana Community Hospital.
The centre, better known locally as the Nursing Unit, had been issued warnings following an inspection in April 2024, and only received a licence to operate on the condition that the HSE, which runs the unit, would complete the required fire safety upgrades within 13 months.
However, when HIQA inspectors arrived unannounced at the Nursing Unit on 7 May 2025 for a follow-up visit, they found residents, staff and visitors were still facing significant risks due to poor fire safety measures. Inspectors concluded that “the majority of fire risks in the centre were still present and had yet to be progressed, therefore the provider was in breach of their restrictive condition [licence].”
Inspectors noted that while some control measures had been carried out between April 2024 and May 2025, and the number of residents reduced, overall they found the HSE had made little progress in addressing critical fire safety risks.
Among the issues highlighted were the storing of flammable and combustible items in a boiler room and electrical rooms; fire doors in poor repair - including gaps, failure to close properly, and perished seals; and problems on outside escape paths, where kerbs and steps at fire exits were considered likely to impede residents during an evacuation.

Inspectors also found that non-fire-rated materials were used throughout the premises, including in walls, ceilings and windows.
The Nursing Unit is due to undergo significant refurbishment works in addition to the fire safety upgrades. In response to the May inspection, the HSE immediately closed the Main Ward, which at the time had six residents and capacity for 13 more.
There were 10 residents in the Ash Ward on the day of inspection, one fewer than its permitted maximum.
The Nursing Unit provides long-term care (including dementia care) and short-term care such as rehabilitation, convalescence and respite services.

READ MORE: Ongoing delays bedevil Buncrana Nursing Unit refurbishment

In response to HIQA’s publication of the report on 9 December, the HSE released a statement acknowledging the critical lapses in fire safety measures at the Nursing Unit.
It said the “majority of [residents in] the Main Unit were vacated in preparation for construction works,” allowing the HSE fire officer to deem all risks removed. It added that all remaining fire risks will be addressed following the major building works, and that staff have been reminded of the fire-safety risk posed when doors are propped open.
While the inspection had found that fire escape routes did not fully lead to the assembly point, the HSE says new exit signage and additional emergency lighting around the building perimeter have now been installed. Fire safety systems, checks and audits are in place to spot any fire risks, and these are reviewed regularly as part of the centre’s ongoing audit schedule.
The Ash Ward will remain occupied until the final phase of the long-delayed refurbishment works is completed, after which it will undergo minor works to increase residents’ personal living space and provide additional en-suite bathrooms.