BUSINESSES around Belfast city centre were closed yesterday while firefighters tackled a serious blaze at a Belfast bargain shop.
Fumes from the fire at B&M Bargains on Rosemary Street spread as up to 40 firefighters spent several hours tackling the blaze at B&M Bargains. Police spotted the blaze at about 5am. There were fears that the fire could spread to nearby buildings including a masonic hall.
An exclusion zone was put in place around Rosemary Street and Lombard Street, which meant that business owners and employees were stopped from entering nearby premises in the area. Businesses including, TK Maxx and HMV, were unable to open for a time while the blaze was tackled.
Donegall Arcade was shut because of the spread of the smoke from the fire.
The Fire and Rescue Service said 10 fire appliances attended the scene, including two aerial vehicles with a hydraulic platform used by crews to dampen down the flames.
Nearby shop fronts were blackened by the smoke bellowing out from the store, with a lot of fumes in the surrounding area.
The cause of the fire was last night still under investigation.
Group commander Dermot Rooney said it was a "very serious fire" and crews had experienced difficulty in gaining access to the shop. He said the main priority was to "control the fire" as well as "trying to control fire spread and damage to other buildings".
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A spokesman for B&M Bargains last night said the shop would be "closed until further notice" and 21 employees would be redeployed to other stores in the city. "We will be fully co-operating with the Fire Brigade's investigation to identify both the cause and damaged incurred," he said.
PICTURE: Matt Bohill