The Cork owner of ‘Ireland’s oldest bakery’ says she’s ‘in limbo’ after her losing her business in a fire – but has full plans for it to rise from the ashes for her family’s next generation of bakers.
Northsider Rachel Healy – the sixth-generation owner of Healy’s Bakery in Blackpool – has said there’s ‘absolutely nothing left’ of their 163-year-old business after the devastating blaze yesterday. CCTV footage seen by staff showed the incident was caused by an electrical fire, and it’s believed Gardaí have ruled out arson.
The flames were first spotted by a member of staff opening the store at approximately 6am – which lead to a major emergency response involving Gardaí, over 20 personnel from Cork City Fire Brigade and members of the National Ambulance Service.
Rachel told CorkBeo: “We’re still not allowed in there today because the fumes are too toxic from all the melted cladding. There’s absolutely nothing left. It was a fridge that went on fire – I’ve seen the footage, you can just see a few sparks and then a huge brightness. It literally took about ten minutes to burn the whole place – I can’t believe how fast it took up.”
Rachel and her six staff are still in ‘complete shock’ after the fire, as most had been working together in the premises for just under two decades. Rachel herself has been in Healy’s for over 35 years.
The team has issued an apology to anyone who has ordered cakes with them, saying that they’re now ‘closed for the foreseeable’ – but Rachel is determined to get things back up and running whenever possible.
Speaking to CorkBeo, she said: “We’ll be back. There’s another young fellah coming up behind me now who wants to get into it, my nephew Charlie Healy, so if nothing else I’d like to keep it open for him. He’s doing time working with Jack Cuthbert’s now learning how to make bread, and will be heading over to London soon for a bakery degree.
Gardaí and teams from Irish Water outside Healy’s Bakery after the fire this week
(Image: CorkBeo / Eoin Shortiss)
“It’s just too iconic to let go. We’ve been here since 1862 and are the oldest bakery in the country, now on our sixth generation. Once Charlie comes in it’ll be our seventh – I don’t know of any businesses that have surpassed that, and if there is one I’d love to hear about it.”
Rachel stressed that she’s heartbroken for all the cake orders she won’t be able to fill because of the fire. She said one couple contacted her about collecting their wedding cake on Tuesday, asking if was okay to pick it up on Wednesday instead – only for the bakery to burn down early the following morning.
The owner added however that she and her team have received ‘incredible’ support from the public since the incident.
“In fairness people have been very, very decent to us since the fire, especially the Norries – you just can’t beat them. People have offered empty units I could use to bake in, offered full kitchen equipment once we get back up and running. A lot of other bakeries in Cork too have been reaching out and showing support.”
When asked about her next steps, Rachel said she’s still “absolutely in limbo” about what’s to come, but has already been contacted by her insurance provider about the incident. The Blackpool native is spending most of today ‘picking up the pieces’ by cancelling orders – including for two pallets of flour travelling down from Armagh – and by making sure all her customers are aware of the closure.
Rachel Healy at work at the bakery on Great William O’Brien street
(Image: Healys Bakery Blackpool Cork / Facebook)
Many of Healy’s neighbouring businesses have also reached out to Rachel to offer their support during this difficult time, with some saying the fire has had a ripple effect on the wider Blackpool community.
Tom Dennehy, the owner of Dennehy’s Seafood just a few doors down, said: “It’s devastating for the whole area, that they’re there for so long. We all work in tandem here – people might buy a cake from Healy’s, then walk across the road and get a fish from me.
“Rachel has put so much work and effort into the place, it’s shocking. Unbelievable really.”
Local Green Party representative and chair of the Blackpool Community Centre Louise Jordan said she and her team are very close with Rachel, and she rushed to meet her as soon as she heard about the incident.
She said: “It’s just thinking about poor Rachel and what she has to go through now, but we’re just glad that nobody was hurt. It’s very difficult for her, but I’m certain that she’ll rebuild and be better than ever. The Healy’s have been there forever.”
Yesterday, a spokesperson from Cork City Fire Brigade confirmed: “A spokesperson for Cork City Fire Brigade said: “Cork City Fire Brigade were mobilised to reports of smoke in the area of Blackpool just after 06:00 hrs this morning, shortly thereafter the incident was upgraded to a live commercial fire incident due to a fire in progress in a bakery premises on Great William O’Brien street.
“A total of 3 pumping appliances, 1 hydraulic platform, 23 fire personnel including a senior officer attended the scene. A number of neighbouring properties were evacuated, AGS and NAS attended the scene, NAS assessed person on scene, and 1 person was taken to hospital. The scene was handed over to AGS for investigation and all fire units were back in station prior to 09:00 hrs.”