Forensic investigators have identified the probable cause of the fire which caused huge damage to Doagh Famine village.
The popular Inishowen tourist attraction was badly damage din the blaze which began on Saturday last.
Now owner Pat Doherty says a small compressor may have been the root cause of the blaze.
Mr Doherty and his sister Majella started building the much-lived tourist attraction 30 years ago and it is visited by tens of thousands of people each year.
He told the Irish Times that “a small [air] compressor” behind one of the displays was most likely the fire’s source.
“The compressor, it pumped air to make one of the displays move. That machine just, there was either a loose wire or she just overheated, and with all the dry grass it took off and the fire spread quickly,” he said. A strong sea breeze accelerated the blaze, he added.
“We seen just a small fire. There was a motorbike group in from Cavan and they evacuated everybody. They tried to put it out but it was just too fast.”
Mr Doherty said there had been about 50 visitors at the attraction at the time but thankfully nobody one was injured.
There has been a huge outpouring of sympathy form the local community following the fire.
Man y fellow businesses across the Inishowen peninsula have also expressed their sympathy for Mr Doherty and the damage caused to his unique attraction.
A Go Fund Me account set up yesterday to help rebuild the damaged attraction has already raised more than €31,000.
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