WICKLOW County Council is facing a multi-million euro compens­ation payout after receiving 30 separate lawsuits from people affected by a blaze three years ago in Bray which claimed the lives of two firefighters.

The Sunday Tribune understands that 25 of the lawsuits are from family members of Brian Murray (46), a part-time firefighter and father of 13.

As well as lawsuits from his wife Mary and children, Murray's brothers, sisters and grandchildren are also attempting to sue the council for financial loss and trauma over his death.

One lawsuit has been lodged to the council from the family of the other part-time firefighter killed in the blaze, 26 year-old Mark O'Shaughnessy.

Four other firemen who attended the scene of the fire when the roof of the abandoned building on Lower Dargle Road in Bray collapsed are also attempting to sue the council for trauma, it is understood.

The garda investigation into the tragedy is almost completed and the DPP has been kept abreast of the exact circumstances of the case. Four people have been questioned in relation to the deaths; the most recent arrest took place two weeks ago when a senior Wicklow County Council official was taken into custody and later released without charge.

In late February, the offices of Wicklow County Council in Wicklow Town were raided by gardaí investigating the deaths. Murray was a sub-officer in Bray and second-in-charge of a station of 15 firefighters. The inquest into the men's deaths has been adjourned several times to give gardaí more time to investigate.

Concerns were raised by the men's families that the two part-time firemen had been alone when trying to bring the blaze under control. The families claim there was a delay in responding to the fire, as it was out of control by the time fire crews arrived. They believe this was a major factor in the men's deaths.