Newry blaze update: Number of firefighters combatting massive inferno tops 50 as battle goes on through night
A fire chief has thanked a group of farmers who volunteered to help out at a massive blaze on an industrial estate in Newry.
The fire began at about 2pm on Saturday, when the fire brigade said they had been summoned to a unit in Greenback Industrial Estate, to the south of the city centre.
By 6pm, they said the fire was “significant”, and that the response involved “six fire appliances, a number of specialist appliances and over 50 personnel”.
They added: “We are still advising members of the public to avoid the area where possible and nearby homeowners to keep their windows and doors closed.”
Efforts to fight the fire continued all night.
Group Commander Paul Gould, speaking to the BBC, thanked local farmers who had brought their slurry tanks to assist.
"I can't commend them enough," he said, calling the help “so valuable”.
"They've been assisting us with their machinery and were able to feed us water, initially, when we didn't have enough resources here and they're still assisting us.
"So, I honestly want to thank each and every one of them."
The corporation also quoted Brian Murphy, the director of House of Murphy, a furniture showroom which was one of three units badly damaged by the fire.
He said the family firm had just celebrated 50 years in business.
He said the showroom was open when the fire broke out and that “there were customers even in the shop that we escorted out and the fire alarm went off and everyone congregated at the front of the shop”.
Mr Murphy said the damage to the unit was "extensive", adding “I don't think there's anything left to be honest”.
The blaze reportedly broke out at a go karting centre.
The Newry Chamber of Commerce said it was “devastated for the local businesses gutted in the huge fire”, adding that its chief executive Michael Savage had attended the “and offered the chamber's full support to the family businesses impacted”.