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Ballytyrone Orange Hall gutted in 'arson attack' | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
An Orange hall in County Armagh has been extensively damaged in an attack that police are treating as arson. | |
The interior of Ballytyrone Orange Hall has been gutted and the roof of the building collapsed during the blaze. | |
A police spokesman said they received a report that the building on Creenagh Road, Loughgall, was on fire at about 23:50 BST on Thursday. | |
A senior Orangeman said the institution was "devastated" by the attack on the hall. | |
Drew Nelson, the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland's grand secretary, said the hall would be rebuilt "probably bigger and better than it was before". | |
"Clearly there are still some in Northern Ireland's society who are prepared to use violence to attack the Orange institution. | |
"We, as an institution, would not wish any community to suffer from such violence, having sustained so many attacks on our properties over the years." | |
He also called for calm and said there should be "no retaliation whatsoever". | |
Democratic Unionist Party MLA William Irwin said it was believed that flammable liquid had poured through a window and set alight. | |
He was one of the first at the scene and spoke to investigators. | |
"The main hall itself is completely destroyed," he said. | |
"The kitchen portion at the back is badly smoke-damaged and that's where police and the fire service ascertained that there had been a flammable liquid poured in. | |
"The police have no idea at this stage who is behind it but they're clearly treating it as arson," he added. | "The police have no idea at this stage who is behind it but they're clearly treating it as arson," he added. |
Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness tweeted that those responsible for the attack are "sectarian bigots". | |
"The destruction of Ballytyrone Orange Hall in County Armagh is a disgrace," the deputy first minister added. | "The destruction of Ballytyrone Orange Hall in County Armagh is a disgrace," the deputy first minister added. |
"I unreservedly condemn it." | "I unreservedly condemn it." |