FIRE crews were called to a blaze at a shop close to the ongoing Primark cordon in Belfast city centre today.
A fire at The Body Shop in Donegall Place was reported to the fire service shortly before 10am as smoke was seen coming from the property.
A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said: "Firefighters were called to a report of a fire on the ground floor.
"The fire was out on arrival of fire crews. Firefighters ventilated the area.
"The cause of the fire was confirmed accidental.
"The incident was dealt with at 10.24am."
A sign placed in the front window of the shop stated: "Due to unforeseen circumstances, the store will be closed today".
It is understood that an electrical fault may have led to the blaze. It is believed that stock in the store was not affected by the fire.
The shop, which currently has scaffolding outside, is located close to the burnt-out Primark building, which was gutted by a massive fire last August.
Around 300 businesses were impacted by the closure of Primark with an initial safety cordon severely disrupting the flow of traffic and pedestrians in the area.
However, a tunnel was opened close to Bank Buildings in December to improve access to and from Royal Avenue.
