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01/11/2016
NI Fire Service Attends Over 160 Incidents During Halloween
The Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) has revealed it attended over 160 incidents during Halloween on Monday, 31 October.
The emergency services received 232 calls and visited 166 incidents, representing a 47% increase on events it attended during Halloween last year.
The majority of incidents were located in Southern Area Command (45%), with most of these involving grassland and bonfire materials including tyres.
A spokesperson for the NIFRS said the night was the busiest Halloween period since 2010 in terms of both calls received and mobilised incidents.
In addition, crews came under attack from youths throwing fireworks in the Coalisland area and also had to retreat from incidents in Rostrevor and Newry due to hostile crowds. However, there were no reports of any injuries.
A spokesperson said: "NIFRS received calls to 36 incidents involving bonfires and had to take action on 16 occasions.
"93% of all fires attended over the 24 hour period were started deliberately."
SDLP Coalisland Councillor Malachy Quinn said: "I want to condemn the attacks on the Fire Service in Coalisland on Halloween night. The attacks are the height of stupidity and those involved should be ashamed of themselves.
"This attack not only put the fire crew at danger but because they had to withdraw from the area they would also have been unable to act in the case of a genuine emergency.
"It's disapointing that this happened on the same night when the town was at it's best with a fantastic fireworks display which drew massive crowds from right across the area."
(LM/CD)
The emergency services received 232 calls and visited 166 incidents, representing a 47% increase on events it attended during Halloween last year.
The majority of incidents were located in Southern Area Command (45%), with most of these involving grassland and bonfire materials including tyres.
A spokesperson for the NIFRS said the night was the busiest Halloween period since 2010 in terms of both calls received and mobilised incidents.
In addition, crews came under attack from youths throwing fireworks in the Coalisland area and also had to retreat from incidents in Rostrevor and Newry due to hostile crowds. However, there were no reports of any injuries.
A spokesperson said: "NIFRS received calls to 36 incidents involving bonfires and had to take action on 16 occasions.
"93% of all fires attended over the 24 hour period were started deliberately."
SDLP Coalisland Councillor Malachy Quinn said: "I want to condemn the attacks on the Fire Service in Coalisland on Halloween night. The attacks are the height of stupidity and those involved should be ashamed of themselves.
"This attack not only put the fire crew at danger but because they had to withdraw from the area they would also have been unable to act in the case of a genuine emergency.
"It's disapointing that this happened on the same night when the town was at it's best with a fantastic fireworks display which drew massive crowds from right across the area."
(LM/CD)
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