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| Ballytyrone Orange Hall gutted in 'arson attack' | Ballytyrone Orange Hall gutted in 'arson attack' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| An Orange hall in County Armagh has been extensively damaged in an attack that police are treating as arson. | 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 was 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 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. | 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". | 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. | "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." | "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". | 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 been poured through a window and set alight. | |
| Mr Irwin, a member of the Ballytyrone Orange lodge, was one of the first at the scene and spoke to investigators. | |
| "The main hall itself is completely destroyed," he said. | "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 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 were "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." |