Latest news with #NorthernIrelandFireService
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Play park arson attack 'sickening', says mother
An arson attack on a play park has been condemned as "sickening" by a mother who campaigned for it to include play equipment for disabled children. Claire McGill, a mother-of-three, said she was "shocked and sickened" after arsonists set fire to equipment at the play park in Strathfoyle, County Londonderry, on Wednesday evening. Her daughter, Sianon, who is a wheelchair-user with special needs, is among the children who use the park. The police confirmed that the fire on Wednesday night is being treated as arson. The play park is a popular spot for young families in the area, following years of campaigning by residents' groups for the facility. Residents, including Claire McGill, had successfully campaigned for disabled-friendly play equipment to be installed in 2022, after it was not included in the original plans. "It's just heartbreaking as a mum, because my kids, like many others, use the park regularly," she said. "I have a daughter with special needs, and all my kids use the park — it's a place we all go. "It's the kids across the whole area who are going to suffer from this sort of thing." Ms McGill said the arson attack was especially disappointing as it had been carried out in the run-up to summer. "This is meant to be a safe place for them to have fun. It's sad that this has happened and it's a shame for all the kids of Strathfoyle." The Northern Ireland Fire Service (NIFRS) said they were called to reports of a slide on fire at the park in the Beechwood Park area of Strathfoyle. They also confirmed it had been started deliberately. The park closed on Thursday, Derry City and Strabane District Council said, adding that substantial damage had been caused to some sections of the play area. The city's mayor Lilian Seenoi Barr said she was "appalled by this senseless act of vandalism". "The council is committed to restoring the park as quickly as possible and will keep the public informed of progress," Seenoi Barr added. The SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan condemned it as an attack on the local community. He also thanked firefighters whose swift response helped to limit the extent of the damage, and urged anyone with information to contact the police. "It's been so busy the last couple of weeks with the weather being so good," Durkan told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme. "This park in Strathfoyle was hard fought for and it has been much-loved for many years." He said it "defies belief" that anyone would consider it acceptable or tolerable to set part of it on fire.
Belfast Telegraph
10-05-2025
- Climate
- Belfast Telegraph
Minister urges public to remain ‘extra vigilant' as blaze rages through NI special area of conservation
Firefighters remain at the scene of a large gorse fire in the Ballagh Road area of Clogher which broke out on Wednesday afternoon. Ten fire appliances and approximately 50 firefighters are in attendance at the ongoing incident which has since spread to Co Monaghan. The blaze has since extended into a special area of conservation for the endangered species of Hen Harriers which nest in the blanket bog near Slieve Beagh. Minister Muir pointed to the 'extensive' damage caused being caused and called for the public to 'heed the elevated hazard warning' which was issued by the Northern Ireland Fire Service (NIFRS) and PSNI. The North Down MLA said: 'The current fire near Clogher is another stark reminder on how quickly they can spread, creating significant risk to life and property while causing extensive environmental damage. 'The fire in Counties Tyrone and Monaghan has torn through approximately a third of a precious protected site which includes a Special Area of Conservation for the endangered Hen Harrier during nesting season as well as important blanket bog habitat. 'With the current conditions set to last into the weekend and beyond I plead with everyone to heed the elevated hazard warning issued, remain extra vigilant to fires in our countryside and report to the Police or Crimestoppers anyone you know involved in deliberate and malicious fires. 'Those who know the individuals involved must come forward and help us apprehend the culprits wreaking destruction across our countryside.' Minister Muir added: 'Once ignited, fire can spread rapidly, especially in areas with dead grasses, gorse, forestry and heather. "Large areas can become engulfed in a very short period of time putting life, property and wildlife at real risk. This activity must stop before someone is killed or injured.' NIFRS Area Commander Barry Ross also urged the public to enjoy the warm spell of weather responsibly. He said: 'With the dry weather set to continue over the next few days we are asking the public to support their Firefighters by staying safe from fire in the countryside. "Dealing with wildfires is not only challenging and physically demanding for our Firefighters, it is extremely resource intensive for our Service and partner agencies. If you are enjoying the weather this weekend, please do so responsibly and follow our safety advice.' PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson added: 'Gorse fires have the potential to cause widespread damage to the environment and harm to wildlife, as well as threatening homes, farms and the people living in those areas. 'The unpredictability of fire can also mean that those causing them may be putting their own lives at risk as well as the lives of the fire service personnel and other emergency services tasked to deal with them. 'I would remind the public that deliberate setting of wildfires is a criminal offence and if you see anyone setting a fire you should contact us immediately. 'Anyone caught deliberately setting a wildfire will be prosecuted to the full extend that the law allows.'
Belfast Telegraph
09-05-2025
- Climate
- Belfast Telegraph
Minister urges public to remain ‘extra vigilant' as Co Tyrone blaze rages through special area of conservation
Firefighters remain at the scene of a large gorse fire in the Ballagh Road area of Clogher which broke out on Wednesday afternoon. Ten fire appliances and approximately 50 firefighters are in attendance at the ongoing incident which has since spread to Co Monaghan. The blaze has since extended into a special area of conservation for the endangered species of Hen Harriers which nest in the blanket bog near Slieve Beagh. Minister Muir pointed to the 'extensive' damage caused being caused and called for the public to 'heed the elevated hazard warning' which was issued by the Northern Ireland Fire Service (NIFRS) and PSNI. The North Down MLA said: 'The current fire near Clogher is another stark reminder on how quickly they can spread, creating significant risk to life and property while causing extensive environmental damage. 'The fire in Counties Tyrone and Monaghan has torn through approximately a third of a precious protected site which includes a Special Area of Conservation for the endangered Hen Harrier during nesting season as well as important blanket bog habitat. 'With the current conditions set to last into the weekend and beyond I plead with everyone to heed the elevated hazard warning issued, remain extra vigilant to fires in our countryside and report to the Police or Crimestoppers anyone you know involved in deliberate and malicious fires. 'Those who know the individuals involved must come forward and help us apprehend the culprits wreaking destruction across our countryside.' Minister Muir added: 'Once ignited, fire can spread rapidly, especially in areas with dead grasses, gorse, forestry and heather. "Large areas can become engulfed in a very short period of time putting life, property and wildlife at real risk. This activity must stop before someone is killed or injured.' NIFRS Area Commander Barry Ross also urged the public to enjoy the warm spell of weather responsibly. He said: 'With the dry weather set to continue over the next few days we are asking the public to support their Firefighters by staying safe from fire in the countryside. "Dealing with wildfires is not only challenging and physically demanding for our Firefighters, it is extremely resource intensive for our Service and partner agencies. If you are enjoying the weather this weekend, please do so responsibly and follow our safety advice.' PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson added: 'Gorse fires have the potential to cause widespread damage to the environment and harm to wildlife, as well as threatening homes, farms and the people living in those areas. 'The unpredictability of fire can also mean that those causing them may be putting their own lives at risk as well as the lives of the fire service personnel and other emergency services tasked to deal with them. 'I would remind the public that deliberate setting of wildfires is a criminal offence and if you see anyone setting a fire you should contact us immediately. 'Anyone caught deliberately setting a wildfire will be prosecuted to the full extend that the law allows.'
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Firefighter describes 'chaos and devastation' after bomb
Warning: This story contains distressing details A firefighter who attended the scene of the Omagh bomb has likened its aftermath to an image from the Vietnam War. Paddy Quinn, who is a current commander for the Northern Ireland Fire Service in the Omagh district, was giving evidence to the inquiry into the 1998 Real IRA bombing. Twenty-nine people were killed, including nine children, a woman pregnant with twins, and three generations of one family when the explosion ripped through the County Tyrone town. Mr Quinn, an on-call officer at the time, told the inquiry that in his 29 years as a firefighter nothing he had responded to since the Omagh bomb has "ever come anywhere close". He heard the explosion while working at his carpet shop and was the first to arrive at the fire station. Mr Quinn said none of the firefighters were anxious as there was no mentions of casualties and they assumed the area had been cleared. He thought they were going to be dealing with damaged buildings and clearing debris or possibly a fire. He was on the first fire engine to go to Market Street and arrived at a scene of "total chaos, devastation, carnage". Referring to a famous photograph from the Vietnam War, he said: "There was a cloud dust and there was a young girl running across the road terrified, and that's just the image I have of people from Omagh." He described to the inquiry the look of "disbelief" and "concern" on the faces of his fire service colleagues. He said they were local firefighters working in their home town, who were worried their own family members had been caught up in the bomb. "They were asking where is my wife, my son, my daughter?" he said. "But they continued to do the job they were called to do and that was help others and search for others." He recalled helping an injured woman onto an Ulsterbus and the floor of the bus was red with blood rather than blue. Paddy Quinn referred to a saying within the fire service, which he said applies to his and others' experience at Omagh. "The saying is: "The firefighter may leave the incident, but the incident doesn't leave the firefighter'," he told the inquiry. He explained that he has now been trained to provide help and advice to his colleagues in critical incident stress management and emotional trauma. Paramedic Richard Quigley travelled to the scene from Altnagelvin Hospital. When he arrived he said it was "oddly quiet" as patients had already been moved to hospital. He remembered the smell of beer flowing down the street from the remains of a bar opposite the bomb site. He said it was the first explosion he had attended and he was involved in recovering bodies which had been moved into shops and an alleyway. "We had used all the bags we had," he said, and had to source more from the fire service and military." The bags were then placed onto stretchers. "I physically checked the body bags to see if I could identify which end was the head or legs. "What shocked me was not being able to clearly identify either the head or the feet of the patients." The remains were then transported to a temporary morgue at a nearby army camp. Mr Quigley said: "I recall seeing the number of body bags laid out and each had its own area, all in rows with a chair at the end. "The size of the gym and the number of the body bags on the floor was something that should only have been seen in a movie." Mr Quigley said he had not been able to return to Market Street or visit the memorial garden. "I can still remember the smell of beer from the street corner. "Will I ever walk through the alleyway were the bodies had been laid end to end? Probably never. "Should I? Maybe I would get closure. "I will never forget that day as it is my sister's birthday and will always trigger memories." Later on Monday, the inquiry will hear from the family of James Barker, a 12-year-old student at Buncrana Primary School, who was killed in the attack while on a school trip. His family previously described him as a "happy boy with an infectious smile". His mother, Donna Maria Barker, relocated to England 18 months after the explosion and James's body was then reburied at his former school in Weybridge in Surrey. She said she "never realised how green his eyes were" until she had to identify his body, adding: "That image will stay with me for the rest of my life." The bomb that devastated Omagh town centre in August 1998 was the biggest single atrocity in the history of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. It came less than three months after the people of Northern Ireland had voted yes to the Good Friday Agreement. Three days after the attack, the Real IRA released a statement claiming responsibility for the explosion. It apologised to "civilian" victims and said its targets had been commercial. Almost 27 years on, no-one has been convicted of carrying out the murders by a criminal court. In 2009, a judge ruled that four men - Michael McKevitt, Liam Campbell, Colm Murphy and Seamus Daly were all liable for the Omagh bomb. The four men were ordered to pay a total of £1.6m in damages to the relatives, but appeals against the ruling delayed the compensation process. A fifth man, Seamus McKenna, was acquitted in the civil action and later died in a roofing accident in 2013. Omagh bomb: The 29 victims Omagh bomb: Timeline of families' bid for justice Survivor says 'world stood still' after bomb went off
BBC News
17-02-2025
- General
- BBC News
Omagh Bomb firefighter describes carnage to inquiry
A firefighter who attended the scene of the Omagh bomb has likened its aftermath to an image from the Vietnam Quinn, who is a current commander for the Northern Ireland Fire Service in the Omagh district, was giving evidence to the inquiry into the 1998 Real IRA was an on-call officer at the told the inquiry that in his 29 years as a firefighter he had attended many tragic and horrendous incidents."Nothing I have responded to since the Omagh bomb has ever come anywhere close". 'Total chaos' He heard the explosion while working at his carpet shop and was the first to arrive at the fire said none of the firefighters were anxious as there was no mentions of casualties and they assumed the area had been thought they were going to be dealing with damaged buildings and clearing debris or possibly a was on the first fire engine to go to Market Street and arrived at a scene of "total chaos, devastation, carnage".Referring to a famous photograph from the Vietnam War, he said: "There was a cloud dust and there was a young girl running across the road terrified, and that's just the image I have of people from Omagh."He described to the inquiry the look of "disbelief" and "concern" on the faces of his fire service colleagues. 'Where is my wife?' He said they were local firefighters working in their home town, who were worried their own family members had been caught up in the bomb."They were asking where is my wife, my son, my daughter?" he said."But they continued to do the job they were called to do and that was help others and search for others."He recalled helping an injured woman onto an Ulsterbus and the floor of the bus was red with blood rather than Quinn referred to a saying within the fire service, which he said applies to his and others' experience at Omagh."The saying is, 'The firefighter may leave the incident, but the incident doesn't leave the firefighter'," he told the explained that he has now been trained as to provide help and advice to his colleagues in critical incident stress management and emotional trauma. On Monday the inquiry will hear from the family of James Barker, a 12-year-old student at Buncrana Primary School, who was killed in the attack while on a school family previously described him as a "happy boy with an infectious smile". His mother Donna Maria Barker relocated to England 18 months after the explosion and James's body was then reburied at his former school in Weybridge in said she "never realised how green his eyes were" until she had to identify his body, adding: "That image will stay with me for the rest of my life." What was the Omagh bomb? The bomb that devastated Omagh town centre in August 1998 was the biggest single atrocity in the history of the Troubles in Northern people were killed, including nine children, a woman pregnant with twins, and three generations of one came less than three months after the people of Northern Ireland had voted yes to the Good Friday Agreement. Who carried out the Omagh bombing? Three days after the attack, the Real IRA released a statement claiming responsibility for the apologised to "civilian" victims and said its targets had been 27 years on, no-one has been convicted of carrying out the murders by a criminal 2009, a judge ruled that four men - Michael McKevitt, Liam Campbell, Colm Murphy and Seamus Daly were all liable for the Omagh four men were ordered to pay a total of £1.6m in damages to the relatives, but appeals against the ruling delayed the compensation process.A fifth man, Seamus McKenna, was acquitted in the civil action and later died in a roofing accident in 2013. The public inquiry After years of campaigning by relatives, the public inquiry was set to up examine if the Real IRA attack could have been prevented by UK phase of the inquiry is continuing to hear powerful individual testimonies from relatives who lost loved ones in the explosion. The bombers planned and launched the attack from the Republic of Ireland and the Irish government has promised to co-operate with the the victims' relatives wanted the Irish government to order its own separate public previously indicated there was no new evidence to merit such a move.
