Girl Treated After West Belfast Petrol Bomb Attack

A seven-year-old girl has had to be treated for smoke inhalation after a petrol bomb was left on a doorstep of a house in Belfast.

The device was left at the door of a house located in Colinvale in Poleglass on the outskirts of West Belfast at around 2.30am this morning.

Smoke damage was caused to the front door of the house, the girl that lived in the house with her mother was treated at the scene while the woman was uninjured.

West Belfast Sinn Féin MLA Jennifer McCann has condemned those responsible for the arson attack.

Speaking today Ms McCann said: "This was a cowardly attack which clearly set out to murder a mother and her young child in their home. A number of men poured flamable liquid through the family's letter box and set it on fire. Only the quick actions of neighbours to put out the fire saved this family being burned to death.

"This incident was attempted murder as those responsible clearly set out to kill the occupants of this house. Anyone who could sit down and plot to burn a young child of just 7 years old to death in her bed are clearly very dangerous and need to be apprehended.

"I would appeal for anyone that has any information in relation to this incident to please contact the PSNI."

Police are appealing for a man who got into a taxi shortly after the incident to contact them and have also asked any taxi drivers working in and around the Colinvale area at the time of the incident to contact them as part of the investigation.

(LB/GK)