Six people led to safety following blaze at Antrim apartment block

By Q Radio news

Six people have been led to safety following a fire at an apartment block in Barra street in Antrim.

The blaze broke out in a communal area around 11pm and police say they're treating the outbreak as deliberate.

A Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) Spokesperson said:

“At 23.22hrs, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service were called to a report of a fire at an apartment block in Barra Street, Antrim.”

“While four appliances were on route, our Regional Control Centre personnel used emergency call handling techniques to advise and reassure the multiple occupants that were unable to evacuate due to dense smoke”

“The fire in a communal area was extinguished and fire fighters using breathing apparatus led six occupants to safety”

“The incident finished at 00:41hrs and the scene was handed over to PSNI. The cause of the fire is being treated as deliberate.

In a statement this morning the PSNI said:

"Shortly before 11.30pm, police received a report that a fire had been started at the front door to a communal area of the flats, trapping a number of occupants inside.

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue personnel responded to the incident and removed the occupants to safety.

At this time it is believed that a flammable liquid was poured through the letterbox and set alight, however, investigators remain at the scene conducting a number of enquiries.

There have been no reports of any injuries at this time.

Detectives are investigating and would ask anyone with any information to call them at Antrim on the non-emergency number 101 quoting reference number 2259 21/05/21, or to submit a report online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/.

You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/".

Six people have been led to safety following a fire at an apartment block in Barra street in Antrim.https://t.co/HFVwCSGYrt

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) May 22, 2021