The cottages, located at Dunville Terrace in Ranelagh, are owned (somewhat ironically) by the Construction Industry Federation (CIF).

Up until recently, the site was covered by a large banner extolling the virtues of construction safety. One observer noted that the banner has since fled the scene.

An eyewitness to Monday morning’s events said the incident happened just after 8am, narrowly missing a cyclist and a pedestrian out walking their dog, the Irish Times reports.

Hubert Fitzpatrick, CIF’s director general, released a statement in which he said they “immediately liaised with Dublin City Council” and that a team had been appointed to assess the damage and take “appropriate action”.

The cottages have been on Dublin City Council’s Derelict Site Register since June 2023.

CIF has owned the homes since the 1990s and filed numerous development applications over the years, finally winning approval last September to knock the whole lot down and build something new.

The approval came despite one planning inspector’s strong objection. Gillian Kane called the move a “systematic failure” and lamented the “loss of historic fabric”. Meanwhile, An Bord Pleanála shrugged and said the demolition had “sufficient justification”.

As for when the new development will rise from the ashes like a very modern phoenix, CIF isn’t giving dates. They’re still “planning development of the site,” though judging by recent events, the cottages seem keen to start the demolition early.