Woman rescued from block of flats by NI Fire and Rescue Service

Firefighters were alerted at around 8.40am on Friday evening (July 25) to the fire in Portlec Place Lurgan.

Three appliances, two from Lurgan and one from Portadown, attended.

A NI Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “Firefighters were called to a fire in the hallway of a first floor flat in Portlec Place.

“Firefighters wearing breathing apparatuses led the occupant of the flat to safety and used a hose reel jet to extinguish the fire.

“The occupant of another flat was also removed from their flat by Firefighters and received oxygen treatment at the scene from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.

“The cause of the fire is believed to have been deliberate ignition and the incident was dealt with by 9.41pm.”

A PSNI spokesperson said: “At approximately 8.45pm on Friday, 24 July police received a report of a fire in the building.

“Due to the amount of smoke a woman was taken from the building by NIFRS personnel. It is not believed she suffered any injuries.

“The small fire caused minor damage.”

DUP MP Carla Lockhart said: “Two people in the adjoining flats had to be rescued by the Fire Service and brought out through windows. There are no reports of any serious injuries.

“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. If anyone has any information please come forward to the PSNI on the 101 number.

“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.”

Detective Sergeant Bell said: “I would appeal to anyone who has any information or witnessed any suspicious activity in and around these flats yesterday evening to contact detectives at Lurgan on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference 1866 24/07/20. Anyone with any information about this incident or who may be able to help with our investigation, is asked to call us on the non-emergency number 101, or submit a report online using our 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”

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, the PSNI is investigating a fire outside a property in Hamilton Street, Lurgan, in the early hours of Sunday 26th July.

It is understood a sofa which had been left outside at a gable wall had been set on fire.

A PSNI spokesperson said: “If you seen anything suspicious or have CCTV footage of the surroundings areas, please contact police on 101 giving reference number 370 of 26/07/20.

“Enquiries into both incidents are ongoing but there is nothing to suggest they are linked at this time.”