West Belfast Home Set Alight Days After Being Shot At

A west Belfast home has been gutted in a suspected arson attack, days after it was shot at and then had its windows and doors smashed on New Year's Eve.

The latest attack on the house in Dermott Hill Parade happened shortly after 2am on Thursday 03 January.

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service extinguished the blaze and later said that it appears to be deliberate.

A spokeswoman added: "Firefighters were called to a fire in the ground floor of a semi-detached house. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the fire. The cause appears to be deliberate. The incident was dealt with at 2.55am."

The owner of the house, George Richmond, has spoken out about the attacks in recent days which he believes dissident republicans are responsible for.

Police believe the blaze was started downstairs in the house and led to the ground floor being "completely gutted".

While no-one was in the house at the time, the next-door neighbours had to be evacuated.

PSNI Detective Sergeant McPhilipps said: "The house next door was filled with smoke and a number of people who were inside at the time were brought to safety.

"We are treating this fire as arson and believe it may be linked to criminal damage at the same address on 01 January, in which a number of windows were smashed. We are also investigating a possible link to a shooting incident at residential premises in the Upper Springfield road area, which was reported to police on Tuesday.

"Everyone has a right to live in a safe and stable community and this type of senseless and reckless criminality will not be tolerated.

"Those living in the local area who have any information should bring it to police immediately, so that we can bring the perpetrators to justice."

Police have appealed for anyone who has any information about the incidents, or who saw any suspicious activity in the Dermott Hill Parade area in the early hours of the morning, to get in touch on 101.



(JG/MH)