The scene in Moat Street following this morning’s arson attack.
Fifteen people had to flee their homes in Derry this morning following an arson attack.
Several houses and three cars were damaged in the incident which occurred in Moat Street, just off Foyle Road, at 4.45am.
It is the second arson attack on cars in the city in 24 hours.
Among those moved out was a woman who is celebrating her 75th birthday today.
Speaking to Derry Daily, her granddaughter told how she woke to find the “whole street in flames” and compared the scene to something you would find in Beirut.
One of the cars destroyed in the arson attack.
The woman, who asked not to be named and who has been living in the street for 20 years, said they had a lucky escape.
“I woke up at about a quarter to five. I could hear crackling and looked out the window and the car was completely in engulfed in flames.
“You could smell the smoke throughout the house.
“I woke the rest of the house up and phoned the fire brigade.
“We did not know whether the house was going to go on fire as well. The car is parked about a metre from the front door and the window had gone through. The curtains could have gone on fire
“We believe our car was set on fire, it set the next on fire and that rolled into the next.
“It was like Beirut. The whole street was in flames – it is a small street and three cars were on fire.
“It was terrifying. It is the scariest thing that has ever happened. It was panic – at that time of the night it was dark all you could see was flames -you don’t know what’s happening.”
The fire at its height.
The woman praised the Fire Service for their actions.
She said: “The fire brigade were great. I think they expected just the one car, they did not expect the whole street to be in flames.
“They had the fire under control very quickly and made sure everyone was out.”
Twenty firefighters tackled the blaze and according to district commander, Barry McDowell, it had been started deliberately.
He said the residents were lucky to escape with their lives.
Moat Street has been sealed off and police are advising motorists to avoid the area.
It is the second time in 24 hours that cars in Derry have been damaged in early morning arson attacks.
Police were called after a Volkswagen Passat was damaged after being set on fire in Westland Terrace at around 2.05am yesterday. Two other cars parked in the area were also damaged.
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