Northern Ireland

Fire crews called to bonfire site in east Belfast

A collection of pallets last week at Bloomfield Walkway off Ravenscroft Avenue in east Belfast. Picture by Matt Bohill
A collection of pallets last week at Bloomfield Walkway off Ravenscroft Avenue in east Belfast. Picture by Matt Bohill A collection of pallets last week at Bloomfield Walkway off Ravenscroft Avenue in east Belfast. Picture by Matt Bohill

FIRE crews were called to a prominent east Belfast bonfire site after some pallets were set alight.

The bonfire materials were set ablaze at Bloomfield Walkway near a public car park off Ravenscroft Avenue.

It was one of four bonfire sites that were last year the subject of a landmark court injunction secured by Belfast City Council following concerns over the size of the pyres.

One fire appliance was called to the scene at about 9.30pm on Friday and crews extinguished the blaze.

The Fire Service said the cause of the blaze was considered deliberate.

Passers-by also spotted materials alight on Saturday and Sunday, although the Fire Service said it did not have any further call-outs.

Last week, the council downplayed suggestions that the injunction from last year remains in place.

According to the injunction, those involved in bonfire building are prevented without consent from entering the sites with materials "until further order".

The council confirmed that no further application has been made to the court since then.

However, it added that the injunction "was based on evidence that was relevant at that time" and it would be required to "present new evidence in support of any application with regards to current circumstances, were members minded to do so".