Police investigation after fire at NI home is believed to be arson

An eyewitness said neighbours rushed to the scene at Markville, in Bleary just outside Lurgan when they spotted black smoke coming from a shed.

NI Fire and Rescue Service said the fire is ‘believed to have been deliberate ignition’.

The PSNI said it is investigating.

The eyewitness said they managed to evacuate neighbouring houses and rescued the dogs from the house close to where the fire was.

The eyewitness said the dogs were difficult to get out as they were scared and running away, but neighbours managed to get them to safety.

A spokesperson for the NIFRS said two appliances from Lurgan and one each from Portadown and Banbridge attended the incident.

“Firefighters were called to a property at 3.51pm on Monday where a shed was on fire.

“The fire spread to an oil tank and two other sheds and caused smoke damage to a neighbouring property.

“Firefighters wore breathing apparatuses and used two hose reel jets to extinguish the fire.

“The cause of the fire is believed to have been deliberate ignition and the incident was dealt with by 4.54pm.”

A PSNI spokesperson said: “Police enquiries are ongoing into the circumstances surrounding a fire at a property at Markville in Bleary on Monday 29th June.

“The fire was reported shortly before 4pm on Monday afternoon and is believed to have started at a shed in the garden of a house before spreading to an oil tank and two other sheds in the area. NIFRS attended and extinguished the fire and there were no reports of any injuries.

“It is believed that the fire was started deliberately and police would ask anyone with any information or who may be able to help with the investigation to call officers in Lurgan on the non-emergency number 101 quoting reference number 1187 29/06/20, or submit a report online using our non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/. Crimestoppers can also be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/.”

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