Gardai believe the fire at the Drogheda IPAS centre on Friday, October 31, was set deliberately.RollingNews.ie

Two men have been arrested in connection with Friday night's fire at an International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) centre in Drogheda, Co Louth.

Gardaí in Drogheda announced this morning that two men have been arrested, one on Wednesday night and one this morning, Thursday, November 6.

The first man, aged in his 20s, was arrested in Co Louth last night for alleged offences under the Criminal Damage Act 1991. He is currently detained under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at a Garda Station in the Co Louth area.

The second man, also aged in his 20s, was arrested on Thursday morning for alleged offences under the Criminal Damage Act 1991. He is also currently detained pursuant to Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at a Garda Station in the Co. Louth area.

Investigations are ongoing, Gardaí said on Thursday.

Fire was "started deliberately"

In a witness appeal issued on Saturday, November 1, Gardaí in Drogheda said they were alerted by the Fire Service to a fire at a property on Georges Street, Drogheda, at around 8:15 pm on Friday, October 31.

The occupants of the property were safely evacuated, and a number were taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital for medical assessment, Gardaí said initially.

The scene was technically examined, and a Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) was appointed to lead the investigation from the incident room at Drogheda Garda Station.

Gardaí appealed for witnesses to come forward and for those with camera footage from the area at the time to make contact.

In an update a few hours later on Saturday, Gardaí said that following initial reports of the fire being started by the discharge of fireworks, investigations had had since indicated that the fire was "started deliberately by person or persons unknown."

An Garda Síochána commenced an investigation into what it described as "attempted arson."

"This was an extremely dangerous act endangering the lives of the residents, including children, who were in their home at the time," Gardaí said on Saturday.

Gardaí renewed their appeal for any person with any information on this serious incident to come forward.

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Later on Saturday, The Sunday Times Ireland reported that CCTV footage it obtained from within the IPAS center "showed at least one masked man kicking in a door and pouring what gardai believe was petrol on the stairway before setting it on fire, an act designed to ensure the occupants could not escape."

According to The Sunday Times, "Gardai believe this act might have occurred as fireworks were thrown through a window elsewhere, possibly to frighten people into running out or upstairs."

The Sunday Times reported that four children, including an infant, were among five people rescued from the top floor of the IPAS center.