Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
MADNESS
Councillor slams youths for risking Grenfell Tower-type disaster
A GROUP of young people have been condemned for risking a Grenfell Towertype disaster. They set bonfire material alight yesterday within metres of homes in North Belfast – and close to high-rise flats. A youth club in the New Lodge area was also placed in danger by the blaze, which mainly consisted of burning pallets. Sinn Fein councillor JJ Magee said: “This incident could have led to serious damage to property or to serious injury.” The location of the fire is overlooked by the high-rise Grainne House as well as a number of smaller two and three-storey blocks of flats. The incident came just days after concerns were raised about Housing Executivemanaged flats across Northern Ireland possibly being at risk of a tragedy similar to the one in West London. Local sources said the incident came after concerns were raised about pallets being collected for a bonfire. Mr Magee claimed a “small number of youths in the area” have been involved in a “spate of anti-social behaviour related to a bonfire”. He added: “They have broken into a local building site, near a day care centre, stole planks, ladders and destroyed CCTV. “They have attacked residents with bottles who asked them to move wood away from their homes and threatened Housing Executive workers. “However, setting fire to wood piled near businesses and homes is a whole different level of threat to the people who live there. “I am working with the council, Housing Executive and the emergency services to tackle this blight. “I am also appealing to the young people involved to desist from any further activity before someone is killed or seriously injured.” It is understood the bonfire was linked to the anniversary of internment. The fire service confirmed they had attended the blaze and managed to extinguish it in around 20 minutes. They said the heat cracked windows in nearby properties, but they did not think any buildings were at serious risk of catching fire. Meanwhile, over the weekend material at two Eleventh Night bonfire sites was set alight. Wood pallets at Belfast’s Sandy Row and Donegall Pass were burned early on Saturday morning. Images of the aftermath appear to show a number of pallets were set on fire, but many left untouched. Firefighters were called to the Sandy Row incident at around 8am. It is unclear when they attended the scene in Donegall Pass. It is also not known if the two incidents are connected. The fire at Sandy Row has been at the centre of controversy in recent days over the use of Belfast City Council vehicles to remove pallets from the site for storage.
Desist before someone is killed or seriously injured COUNCILLOR JJ MAGEE BELFAST YESTERDAY