It could be several days before the cause of a fire that gutted a listed building in Cork city is known.
A garda forensic team has not yet been allowed inside the former Good Shepherd Convent because of fears that the structure is unstable.
Engineers have been assessing the building at Sunday’s Well amid concerns that it will have to be demolished and a decision on access is expected in the coming days.
The site remains cordoned off and the scene preserved.
Gardaí say they are keeping an open mind as to the cause of the fire, but have appealled to anyone who may have noticed anything suspicious in the area in the 24 hours leading up to the outbreak of the fire, to contact them.
Another major fire gutted a section of the building in 2003, and there have been many complaints to local gardaí and the city council of anti-social behaviour on the site.
Last October, Cork City Council issued a derelict sites notice setting out the owner's responsibilities, with specific reference to site security.
KPMG, who are managing the site on behalf of owners Ulster Bank, confirmed it is liaising closely with the emergency services, the council and the security firm appointed to oversee the site.
Meanwhile, the Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor John Buttimer has described the blaze as a "wake up" call for how local authorities manage derelict sites.
He is calling on Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan to carry out a review of derelict sites legislation to increase councils' powers to tackle similar sites.
