30/05/2002

Children evacuated after factory blaze

Up to 20 people had to be evacuated from a County Down playgroup today after a blaze broke out in an adjacent building.

The fire, which started at around 8 o'clock this morning in a disused factory on Castle Street, Dromore, threatened to engulf the Jolly Jester playgroup building. The fire fighters took the precaution of moving the nine children and adults from the building.

The fire consumed several floors in the former furniture manufacturing facility and fire fighters had to tackle the blaze from outside. The fire was eventually put out after four pumps and one hydraulic platform were called to the scene.

A spokesman for the playgroup said that there could have been as many as 34 children in the building had the fire occurred later in the day.

(GMcG)


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