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Derelict hotel fire probably arson - fire service

BBC A member of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service stood in front of a burnt buildingBBC
Enniskillen fire group commander Michael Curran said the fire was reported to emergency services at about 05:00 BST on Wednesday.

A fire at a derelict hotel in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, was probably deliberate, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) has said.

Nine appliances and more than 40 firefighters attended the scene of the blaze in Forthill Street.

Enniskillen fire group commander Michael Curran told BBC News NI that while the cause was not yet known, it was most likely arson.

He said the NIFRS would work with police to investigate the incident, which was reported at about 05:00 BST.

Pacemaker Scene of fire from a distance showing building with fire damage to the roof. A fire appliance uses a ladder to spread water over the fire.Pacemaker
Firefighters remained at the scene of the fire for most of Wednesday

BBC News NI south west reporter Julian Fowler said the fire was a very sad sight for the town.

He added the hotel meant a lot to many people and was a local landmark.

The hotel closed in 2015 and since then it has been boarded up and derelict and has been the subject of anti-social behaviour and previous fires.

Forthill Street is at the bottom of the Irvinestown Road, which is a main route into Enniskillen.

Debris and glass from the windows fell on the street below.

Firefighters stopped the fire spreading to an adjacent art gallery and bookmakers.

It remains to be seen if there has been any smoke or water damage.

The road reopened on Wednesday night.