Firefighters are battling to save one of Cork's most historic buildings, the former Our Lady's Hospital on the Lee Road.

28 firefighters and seven units of the fire brigade are currently at the Victorian building known as St Kevin's Asylum, after the alarm was raised at a quarter past eight this evening.

It's understood two-thirds of the roof of the protected building have been destroyed, and the fire is expected to continue blazing for several hours.

No residential properties nearby are understood to be in any danger.

Chief Fire Officer at the scene, Gerry Myers, says youths were seen running from the building as the fire took hold: