Three separate fires across NI – including one at a convent – in less than 24 hours

Three separate fires at properties across the Province happened between Friday night and Saturday morning.

The PSNI released details of the trio of incidents, the first of which happened at Portlec Place in Lurgan at about 8.45pm on Friday.

The blaze centred on a block of flats, and although it was described by police as “small”, a significant quantity of smoke was produced.

A woman was taken from the building by fire brigade.

It is not believed she suffered any injuries.

Police did not describe it as definite arson, but said it was being treated as “suspicious”.

If you have information which can assist police, call 101, quoting reference 1866 24/07/20.

DUP MP Carla Lockhart said: “This was a terrible ordeal for the two people inside at the time. I know all of the residents living in these flats and their families and this has been deeply traumatising.

“It is no doubt a shock to have their Friday evening disrupted in this way and I would wholeheartedly condemn those who did this.

“I want to pay tribute to the emergency services for how swiftly and professionally they dealt with this matter, before it could become a more serious incident.”

Then the PSNI said that sometime around 4am on Saturday they got a report of an arson attack on a house in the Camowen Cottages area of Omagh, in the Hospital Road area in the far east of the town.

The street is an area of pre-fab style bungalows, in a loyalist-dominated district.

By the time police arrived, the fire was already out.

Enquiries are continuing and at this stage the fire is being treated as deliberate.

Detectives would appeal to anyone who witnessed anything suspicious in the area to contact police on 101, quoting reference number 315 25/07/20.

Finally, police are also looking into an arson at a convent in the Battery Road area of east Tyrone in the early morning on Saturday.

Police got the report at 7.10am.

Although they described the area as ‘Cookstown’, it is actually several miles to the east of Cookstown in the republican-dominated Ardboe townland.

A shed at the property was completely destroyed by fire and two windows in the convent building were smashed.

Enquiries are continuing and at this stage, the fire is being treated as deliberate.

Detectives would appeal to anyone who witnessed anything suspicious in the area to contact police on 101, quoting reference number 418 25/07/20.

There is nothing to suggest the trio of fires is linked at this stage.

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