DETECTIVES at Strand Road in Derry have launched an arson inquiry after a deliberate fire at a derelict factory on Saturday afternoon.
Firefighters spent several hours on Saturday tackling a huge blaze at the premises in the Pennyburn Pass area.
The fire took hold at the former Arntz Belting factory on the city’s Buncrana Road at about 3 pm.
The fire service say it was a deliberate fire involving tyres.
Twenty-four firefighters in four appliances attended, and were at the scene for about two hours.
NIFRS Assistant Group Commander for the Western area Brian Hetherington said it was believed that the fire was due to “deliberate ignition”.
He said a couple of hundred tyres had been set alight on waste ground at the site.
Mr Hetherington said that four appliances attended the scene with 24 firefighters involved in extinguishing the blaze using foam.
NIFRS crews arrived at the scene shortly the alarm was raised and the last crew left around 5.30 pm.
Site owner Patrick Simpson said: “From what we can gather someone has gained access and broken in to the site and disposed of a large number of tyres which they have then set alight.
“Thankfully, no one is injured.
“The fire brigade were great, they were there within five minutes.”
The Buncrana Road had been closed to traffic while fire crews tackled the blaze but was later reopened by police to motorists after the fire was put out.
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