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| Families flee homes in gorse fire | Families flee homes in gorse fire |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Families were forced to flee their homes overnight as 50 firefighters tackled a gorse fire in County Antrim. | Families were forced to flee their homes overnight as 50 firefighters tackled a gorse fire in County Antrim. |
| The fire was started in Whitehead close to Marine Parade. It is still burning. | The fire was started in Whitehead close to Marine Parade. It is still burning. |
| Nine fire appliances helped tackle it and nine houses at Quay Lane were evacuated - some of them were just 35 metres from the flames. | Nine fire appliances helped tackle it and nine houses at Quay Lane were evacuated - some of them were just 35 metres from the flames. |
| Mark Beresford from the Fire and Rescue Service said there were "good indications" that the fires were started deliberately. | Mark Beresford from the Fire and Rescue Service said there were "good indications" that the fires were started deliberately. |
| "This was putting lives in danger, not only ourselves, but members of the public," he said. | "This was putting lives in danger, not only ourselves, but members of the public," he said. |
| Mr Beresford, assistant group commander with the service said that, from the Fire and Rescue control point, using thermal imaging, they could pick up pictures of people setting even more fires. | |
| Tackling the fire was extremely hazardous because of the rough terrain where the fire was burning, close to the main Larne to Belfast railway line. | Tackling the fire was extremely hazardous because of the rough terrain where the fire was burning, close to the main Larne to Belfast railway line. |
| The main road from Carrickfergus to Whitehead and the railway line were both closed as fire crews tackled the flames. | The main road from Carrickfergus to Whitehead and the railway line were both closed as fire crews tackled the flames. |
| People have returned to their homes but, on Tuesday morning, firefighters continued to tackle the blaze. | People have returned to their homes but, on Tuesday morning, firefighters continued to tackle the blaze. |