'˜Whole row could have gone up' in arson attack

They are keen to speak to a male who they believe was in the area around 5am on Friday, described as wearing blue jeans, a grey hoody with the hood up and a dark coat over the top.

A spokesman said, “If you saw anything or know anything, call us on 101. We want to get justice for the victims, and we need your help to do so.”

The mother and her two children had a narrow escape after a fire was started deliberately in the early hours of Friday morning.

The blaze was in an alleyway between houses, one of them occupied by the woman and her children.

A photo taken by police shows damage to part of the building under a child’s bedroom, including scorch marks.

Police praised the Fire Brigade for their swift response, saying “the whole row of houses could have gone up” if they hadn’t got there as quickly as they did.

They added, “Neighbours looked out for each other and woke pretty much the whole street to make sure everyone was safe. Our NI Fire and Rescue Service colleagues did an epic job making sure it didn’t spread further. Without doubt we would be talking about serious injuries or worse if it weren’t for the actions of these folk.”

Anyone who saw or heard anything, including anyone smelling of smoke, should call 101, quoting incident number 164 of 06/05/16. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.