Dissidents blamed for NI shop firebombings

A Belfast outlet of DIY shop Homebase is likely to be demolished following a major fire in the early hours of the morning.

The fire was one of three in Belfast, believed to have been caused by incendiary devices planted by dissident republican paramilitaries. Police said a 39-year-old man was being questioned about dissident paramilitary activities including the firebomb attacks.

At its height some 80 firefighters and 12 fire brigades were tackling the Homebase fire in the Shane Retail Park, on Boucher Road in south Belfast.

Group Commander William Kavanagh told ireland.comthis morning that the Homebase premises was "completely destroyed" would most likely have to be demolished. He said they were alerted to the fire by an alarm shortly after 2 am. "When crews arrived they could see it was a major fire," he said.

"The fire has spread to Reids furniture shop which is next door and it has been contained there," he added.

He said another fire was discovered in Smyths, which is about three doors down, at about 4am. This was discovered shortly after igniting and caused only partial smoke and water damage.

At the same time a third fire broke out and damaged a JJB Sports outlet on Anne Street in Belfast city centre and was attended by four units of the fire brigade.

Mr Kavanagh said investigations were at an early stage but he said for the three fires to happen at the same time their cause was unlikely to be accidental.

In August, shopkeepers in the North were warned to be on guard after incendiary bombers caused millions of pounds of damage in attacks on shops in Newry, Co Down.

Nine shops were damaged, four extensively, when fire broke out in the early hours of Wednesday, August 9th. Police warned that other devices might lie unexploded in other premises and that the bombers could strike again anywhere in the North.

A team of detectives was set up to investigate and, while police said dissident republicans were top suspects.

Stores belonging to high street names such as MFI, T K Maxx and Carpet Right, were extensively damaged. Others, such as B&Q, Land of Leather, Currys, Harveys Furniture and Dunnes Stores, suffered less extensive damage in the August attacks.