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Lurgan residents return home after arson attack on listed building

Dean McLaughlin
BBC News NI
BBC A badly damaged building which has a section of roof missing and smashed windows. There are two firefighters stood in front of the building wearing hard hats and fire suits. BBC
It is understood that the damaged property in Lurgan was a listed building

Residents in Lurgan, County Armagh, have returned to their homes after an arson attack on a house in the town on Saturday morning.

It happened at a derelict property - believed to be a listed building - in Windsor Avenue at about 01:00 BST.

A number of residents had to leave their properties while the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) tackled the blaze.

No injuries were reported, NIFRS said, but significant damage has been caused.

A red and yellow fire engine is parked outside a badly damaged building
Police said the fire was being treated as arson

Councillor Peter Haire, from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), told BBC News NI: "We are lucky there were no injuries.

"There are businesses and houses right beside and we could be looking at a different story today.

"This is a listed building and it was once beautiful to look at.

"The owners don't live in the country. It's devastating.

"I appeal to those behind this arson attack to stop."

Cafe workers Joanne and Barbara standing at the cordon in front of the fire- damaged building. Joanne has blonde hair tied back and is wearing a navy t-shirt and a blue and white striped apron. Barbara has short, grey hair and dark glasses and is wearing a sleeveless blue top and a blue and white stripped apron. There is a shrub with large purple flowers growing out of the garden in front of the house.
Cafe staff Joanne and Barbara work in the building next door to the fire

Two women who work at the adjacent New Haven cafe told BBC News NI they were "very lucky we have jobs today".

"We are right next door to where the fire was and were very lucky it didn't spread into the cafe," Joanne said.

Barbara, who works with Joanne, said it was "such a shock wakening up to this".

"No one wants this. Whoever is behind it must stop. Somebody could have been killed," she added.