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21/07/2008
Deadly Pigeon Loft Blaze Probed
While people living in the Four Winds area of south Belfast were evacuated in the early hours of Saturday as fire crews dealt with a fire at a row of shops, a Co Down pigeon fancier has been counting the cost of another weekend fire.
Police have appealed to anyone with information about the blaze at Osbourne Drive in Shrigley near Killyleagh in which well over 150 birds died.
They asked for anyone with any information on the suspicious fire - which was also discovered in the early hours of Saturday morning - to contact them in Downpatrick.
Four sheds belonging to a group of pigeon fanciers were destroyed, causing thousands of pounds of damage and killing approximately 160 birds.
The BBC reported that owner Hugh McAllister said: "It's a long time since I had tears in my eyes - I think the last time I was like this was when my father died.
"Just to see my pigeons struggling and I couldn't do anything for them, it's just terrible, absolutely terrible."
Mr McAllister said he did not know whether he could continue in the sport.
"I don't know whether to rebuild these sheds or not, it's just an ongoing problem I'm having here and I don't know whether it's worth my while building them," he said.
"I haven't the money to rebuild them, because there's about £2,000 or £3,000 worth of pigeon sheds here.
"I've some pigeons coming home today from a race and they've gone in with other fanciers, they're looking after them for me, but all I have left, is just charred remains."
In the later blaze, the Fire and Rescue Service arrived at Newton Park in Newtownbreda at about 2.30am on Saturday to find gas mains at the rear of the shops alight.
While fire crews managed to stop it spreading to the other premises, one of the properties was destroyed and some residents evacuated.
(BMcC)
Police have appealed to anyone with information about the blaze at Osbourne Drive in Shrigley near Killyleagh in which well over 150 birds died.
They asked for anyone with any information on the suspicious fire - which was also discovered in the early hours of Saturday morning - to contact them in Downpatrick.
Four sheds belonging to a group of pigeon fanciers were destroyed, causing thousands of pounds of damage and killing approximately 160 birds.
The BBC reported that owner Hugh McAllister said: "It's a long time since I had tears in my eyes - I think the last time I was like this was when my father died.
"Just to see my pigeons struggling and I couldn't do anything for them, it's just terrible, absolutely terrible."
Mr McAllister said he did not know whether he could continue in the sport.
"I don't know whether to rebuild these sheds or not, it's just an ongoing problem I'm having here and I don't know whether it's worth my while building them," he said.
"I haven't the money to rebuild them, because there's about £2,000 or £3,000 worth of pigeon sheds here.
"I've some pigeons coming home today from a race and they've gone in with other fanciers, they're looking after them for me, but all I have left, is just charred remains."
In the later blaze, the Fire and Rescue Service arrived at Newton Park in Newtownbreda at about 2.30am on Saturday to find gas mains at the rear of the shops alight.
While fire crews managed to stop it spreading to the other premises, one of the properties was destroyed and some residents evacuated.
(BMcC)
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