Three boys wanted over laundrette fire

Published Wednesday, 15 August 2012
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Police investigating a fire at a disused laundrette in Ballymena want to speak to three boys aged 14 to 15 years old, who were seen in the area at the time.

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Extensive damage was caused to the old Waveney laundry after the blaze took hold at around 4pm on Tuesday afternoon.

The cause is still under investigation. The three teenagers were seen in Clonavon Terrace at around 2.45pm and all wore hoodies, one sky blue, one teal blue and white, and one white.

Police would also like to speak to a man seen in the area riding a light coloured old style bicycle, who had short curly ginger hair and was wearing a white long sleeve top.

Meanwhile a cleanup operation is taking place after asbestos was found in the roof.

The old building is surrounded by houses on all sides and up to 30 had to be evacuated after the fire took hold on Tuesday afternoon.

Gary Thompson from the NIFRS said some of the asbestos ended up in residents' gardens.

"It was quite clear it was an old building and there was an asbestos roof which had fallen into the building," he explained.

"Some pieces of it through the fire did project out into the back of properties and onto roads and pathways - but we have cleaned up the asbestos last night."

Mr Thompson added that no person or firefighter was contaminated by asbestos.

All families have now been allowed to return to their homes, and a warning to keep windows shut due to dangerous fumes has been lifted.

Meanwhile examinations are continuing at the scene in Clonavon Road over the structural integrity of the old building, after part of it collapsed during the fire.

"It has been very worrying," one woman told UTV. "I barely slept last night, it's because I own my own house so the Housing Executive won't fix it for me."

Another described the scene as the fire took hold, saying: "There was a big flash and the back of my house was on fire.

"I saw the commotion outside - I've an oil tank just beside it and it could have went on fire, and my wee dog was in the coal bunker."

The blaze broke out on the first floor of the derelict laundrette at around 4pm.

Crews came from Belfast, Portadown, Maghera and Magherafelt to fight it, and the operation also involved the NIE, water service, building control and local council.

Mr Thompson praised the efforts of all the agencies who worked together and said the early detection of the fire was a crucial factor.

"We were fortunate this was identified during the day," he said.

"If it had went undetected for longer certainly we'd be looking at the fire spreading to the adjacent properties and then it would have been a rescue operation."

Anyone who witnessed suspicious activity has been asked to contact the PSNI.

© UTV News
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