Builders of 100ft bonfire in safety call

Published Friday, 08 July 2011
Comments
Toggle font size
Print

The organisers of a massive bonfire in Newtownards say they are following the government's safety advice closely, and have urged others to do the same.

Video available to UK viewers only.
We’re sorry. This video is unavailable from your location.

At 120 pallets high - and still unfinished with another 60 layers to go - the bonfire at Movilla has been touted as one of Northern Ireland's largest this year.

The community behind it say they spent many weeks planning with local councillors to make sure the structure is eco-friendly.

It has been erected on a site far away from houses and no tyres - which are illegal to burn on bonfires - or other dangerous materials have been used in its construction.

"It's going to be up to 100ft high, going up like a wedding cake, still sticking into circles," Wesley Thompson told UTV.

People love it, it's like a tourist attraction

Wesley Thompson

"There's no tyres or anything like that it's purely just wood, so there's no damage being done. The bonfires come from donations by ourselves, all chipping away at it."

However on the Donegall Road in Belfast, near the City Hospital, a bonfire packed with tyres has been built.

The Belfast Trust owns the site and says it will be investigating the structure, which it says is not regulated by their bonfire management scheme.

Wesley has urged bonfire builders in Belfast to follow the example of Movilla.

He said: "They should hit the tyres on the head, it's not doing the environment any good - try to stick to wood and keep it going that way."

Safety advice has been issued by the government, following a recent incident in which a man was critically injured after falling from a bonfire in Newtownabbey.

It includes keeping a safe distance from the fires and ensuring children are supervised at all times.

"The place will be well cordoned off and there'll be stewards to keep people back," Wesley Thompson continued.

"There'll be about 5,000 people down here on the Eleventh Night, all having a bit of craic and hopefully the weather will stay with us."

The Belfast Trust says, as in previous years, it will continue to work to ensure that the Belfast City Hospital remains a safe environment for patients, visitors and staff.

© UTV News
Comments Comments
18 Comments
Neil in Belfast wrote (316 days ago):
Only in Northern Ireland can you burn the flag of your neighbouring nation and call it a "cultural event". Not only that but a state sponsored one. Pathetic.
Will in East Belfast wrote (317 days ago):
These dirty heaps of rubbish and junk have been gathering around for months just so they can watch it burn for a couple of hours. It's a sad way to live, maybe if they put this much effort into cleaning the mess up instead of leaving to the rate payers of Belfast.
Toobusyworking in Newtownabbey wrote (317 days ago):
I wonder where they got the pallets. I'm sure they paid the companys the going rate for them, as they are normally sent back to the supplier or sold to other companys. I'm sure they didn't just go around private bussinesses and steal their pallets. Not these law abiding citizins surely? My husband must be exadurating when he says that the company that he works for has to lock the pallets in the store to stop them being stolen every year. This bonfire must have cost the oraganisers a fortune in BOUGHT AND DONATED pallets, since the starting rate for a small second hand pallet is £5. I'm really glad that none of the collectors would ever steal these pallets. Yeah right
stevie in belfast wrote (317 days ago):
@ BT9, Sure it's their culture..
Charlie in Armagh wrote (318 days ago):
I must say I dont see the bad side of bonfires jst as long as there are some responible people around n if kids r there then they a gettin minded correctly n are safe. With this bonfire the pallets haved been nailed together so this should b stable and im sure they also have kept it a safe distance from buildin. With all bonfires the fire engines will b on stand by should anythin bad happen. Jst would like to say I hope they have great craic n a safe July holiday.
POST A COMMENT:
Name:  
Email address*:    
Location:  
Validation:
House Rules:  
Your Comment:  
[All comments are moderated and will not appear immediately. Your name, location and comment will be displayed on this page if your post passes moderation.]
MOST POPULAR GALLERIES