Four children evacuated after oil tank set on fire in Coleraine 'racially-motivated' arson attack
A family including four young children were evacuated from a house in Coleraine as a result of what the PSNI are treating as a racially-motivated hate crime.
PSNI Detective Inspector Hanbidge said: “Police received a report at approximately 3am this morning, Friday 13th June, of a fire at the rear of a property in the Mount Street area of the town.
“Upon officers’ arrival the fire had been extinguished by colleagues from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service.
“Thankfully, the house had not caught fire after an oil tank at the rear of the property had been set alight causing damage to the outside of the property. The inside of the house, however, had filled with smoke.
“A man and woman and their four young children who were inside the house at the time were thankfully able to escape uninjured.
“This, however, was a deliberate attack on a young family which could have had potentially serious consequences.
“As such, we are treating this report as arson with a racially-motivated hate element, and everyone, regardless of their ethnic background, has the right to feel safe in their home.
“Our enquiries are continuing today – with officers at the scene conducting enquiries. We are appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time and noticed anything suspicious to make contact with us.
“We also want to hear from anyone who may have CCTV, dash-cam or other footage of the area to contact police on 101, quoting reference number 144 13/06/25.”
Anyone with information can report it online using the reporting form via www.psni.police.uk/makeareport
Alternatively, information can be provided to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service received a call at 2.56am to attend the scene at Mount Street, Coleraine.
Two fire appliances from Coleraine Fire Station and and appliance from Portstewart Fire Station attended the incident.
A spokesperson for NIFRS said: “Firefighters were called to reports of a fire at a house in Mount Street, Coleraine.
"Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the fire using one hose reel jet.
"The cause of the fire is believed to have been deliberate ignition and the incident was dealt with by 3.55am.”