This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/8157163.stm
The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Overnight school fire 'was arson' | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A fire which severely damaged a County Antrim school overnight is being treated as arson, police have said. | |
| When crews arrived at Whitehouse Primary School in Newtownabbey shortly after 0230 BST a number of different areas of the school were alight. | When crews arrived at Whitehouse Primary School in Newtownabbey shortly after 0230 BST a number of different areas of the school were alight. |
| Nearby homes had to be evacuated for a time as strong winds fanned flames towards the properties and a funeral parlour. | Nearby homes had to be evacuated for a time as strong winds fanned flames towards the properties and a funeral parlour. |
| Seventy firefighters and over 20 appliances were tasked. | |
| Chris Kerr of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service said "75% of the main school building was severely damaged". | Chris Kerr of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service said "75% of the main school building was severely damaged". |
| "Such was the strength of the wind and the ferocity of the blaze that fire was spreading through trees and large amounts of burning embers were falling on property around the area," he continued. | "Such was the strength of the wind and the ferocity of the blaze that fire was spreading through trees and large amounts of burning embers were falling on property around the area," he continued. |
| "We had to ask the police to evacuate some residents for their safety. | "We had to ask the police to evacuate some residents for their safety. |
| "Sadly, the early indications are that this fire has been deliberate." | "Sadly, the early indications are that this fire has been deliberate." |
| Officers managed to prevent the fire spreading to the school gymnasium and a number of classrooms. | Officers managed to prevent the fire spreading to the school gymnasium and a number of classrooms. |