A blaze that destroyed two houses in Co Antrim was most likely caused by embers from a nearby bonfire, the fire service has said.
The incident in Greenisland, near Carrickfergus, also caused two other terraced properties to be damaged in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) area commander Dermot Rooney said: “In Greenisland, Carrickfergus, firefighters dealt with a row of terraced houses on fire, along with two oil tanks and a shed.
“Two homes were destroyed, with damage caused to a further two properties. The cause of the fire is under investigation.”
Providing an update, a fire and rescue service spokesperson said firefighters had responded to several calls about the incident.
The spokesperson said: “At the height of the incident, the fire involved a number of properties in a row of houses, several oil tanks and a shed. NIFRS had 45 firefighting personnel on scene, six pumping appliances, a command support unit and an aerial ladder. Five firefighting jets were in use alongside an aerial water tower. Some residents had to be evacuated from their properties.”
The spokesperson added: “Further to completing our fire investigation today, the most probable cause is thought to be accidental ignition due to embers from a nearby bonfire.”
The PSNI said: “The report for assistance was made to police at approximately 12.20am this morning.”
Police said the fire “has been deemed accidental at this time”.
Alliance Party Cllr Stewart Dickson, who lives in the area, expressed his sympathies to the families affected by the fire.
He said: “The whole Greenisland community really rallied around the victims of the fire ... what we need now is a full and thorough investigation into exactly what caused this fire.” – PA
