Northern Ireland police and the army were today investigating the possibility that a blast bomb exploded setting an oil tank on fire during riots between rival factions in Northern Belfast last night.
Police said there were "major disturbances" in the Ardoyne Road area with petrol bombs thrown and a large number of fireworks set off.
There were also claims of up to 10 shots being fired, although no-one was reported injured.
The area was shaken by a large explosion, which a Police Service spokesman later said was believed to have been a blast bomb which set a tank of domestic heating fuel on fire. He said army bomb experts were investigating.
Police and troops in full riot gear were moved into the area to separate republican and loyalist groups.
The spokesman said their arrival was followed by "a tense stand-off".
Mr Billy Hutchinson, Progressive Unionist Party assembly member for north Belfast, urged police to make quick arrests following the trouble.
Security cameras were recently erected at the interface by the Government. The loyalist politician said: "There is bound to be evidence from the cameras as to what happened and I think the police should be at that quickly and making arrests."
PA