Firefighters have rescued two people in what are believed to have been overnight arson attacks in Derry, it emerged today.
In both cases the front doors of flats were set alight, but no-one was willing to confirm both malicious fires were connected.
In the first incident, at about 11pm last night, firefighters were able to help a 29-year-old man escape after the front door was ignited at Glen Court in the Rosemount area of the city.
They were summoned later to the Spencer Road at 4am to deal with another blaze and had to force their way into a first floor flat, wearing breathing apparatus, to rescue a man inside.
A man and two children in a flat above were also treated for shock after fleeing through a fire escape. They were treated by an ambulance crew at the scene.
Station Officer Kevin Lynch from Crescent Link station said: "These definitely appear to have been malicious fires.
"In both cases we were able to contain the fires to the front doors.
"People were alerted to the fires by smoke detectors, which only goes to underline the importance of having them fitted and working properly.
"The fires could have developed quite significantly."
PA