Residents leave homes over bonfire fears
Residents living next to a Belfast bonfire site have moved out of their homes after being warned their lives and property could be at risk.
The bonfire sits on an old railway line just off the Newtownards Road, near the Holywood Arches, in east Belfast.
The land is owned by the Department of Regional Development.
Ulster Unionist councillor Jim Rodgers said ‘five or six’ families have had to leave their homes because they fear the bonfire could do ‘massive’ damage to their homes.
“Some of them are staying with friends because they’re really worried as their properties are so close to the bonfire,” he said.
“It’s a heavily populated area. I grew up in it. We had our bonfire but it was nothing like the size of this one.”
Mr Rodgers said those building the bonfire have ‘categorically refused’ to move it as they want it to be the ‘tallest and widest ever’, as it will be the last year on the site on which a play park will be built in the future.
“Over the last number of weeks, myself and a number of colleagues have been in touch with the police, the Fire and Rescue Service, the Department of Regional Development and Belfast City Council to try and persuade the bonfire builders to reduce the size of this massive bonfire.
“We haven’t had any success up to now.
“As and from today, a number of properties – in the region of about 50 in Lena Street, Chobham Street, Beechwood Street and Finvoy Street, along with the Walkway Community Centre – will all be boarded up.
“It’s a most unfortunate state of affairs and I sincerely hope that no-one’s property, or no individual will suffer through a bonfire, which according to the fire and rescue service is far, far too big for the space that it’s being built on.”
A Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “NIFRS does not have any enforcement power in relation to the size or location of bonfires. NIFRS provides advice on Bonfire safety using the Bonfire Code.
“We continue to work closely with local communities and with the other statutory agencies to ensure people stay safe when building and attending bonfires.
“Our priority is to protect life and secondly property and if NIFRS is called out a bonfire related incident it is because someone from the local community is concerned and has called for assistance.”
