Brave gardai suffered smoke inhalation when they ran into a burning building to search for trapped people.
The incident in Tipperary Town happened on Thursday at 4.20pm after a call from the public.
It is believed a garda unit rushed to the scene when there were reports of the large fire inside an apartment complex.
Two gardai stationed in the town rushed into the building and searched every flat before the fire service arrived.
A source said: "There was a lot of confusion at the scene and people thought there might be people inside.
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"The fire brigade were called but the guards went in and started searching the building - when they came back outside their uniforms and faces were covered in black soot and were coughing heavily.
"They were helped by the fire fighters - seemingly there was no one left in the building but they said they couldn't take a chance."
Fire fighters extinguished the blaze and no one else was injured in the incident.
