Max HeyraudLast weekend, a cornerstone of Waterford’s underground music scene was reduced to ashes.
The old Jute Factory in Tycor, home to community station OpenTempoFM for the last 14 years, was destroyed in a major fire that swept through the sprawling industrial site, devastating dozens of independent businesses and putting around 200 jobs at risk.
OpenTempoFM was a key part of Waterford’s independent radio scene for more than a decade. Broadcasting from the former factory building, it became a hub for experimentation, local culture and outsider creativity, a place where artists, DJs and broadcasters built something far removed from the mainstream. Generations of local artists passed through the station, many finding their first platform there.
Waterford Fire Service battled the blaze throughout the night, assisted by crews from Tramore, Dunmore, Portlaw, Cappoquin, Kilmacthomas, Dungarvan and Kilkenny. Authorities later confirmed there were no casualties.
Local officials have since warned that asbestos-containing materials were identified within the damaged structure and surrounding debris, prompting an extensive clean-up and environmental monitoring operation.
