Arsonists who started a blaze in a disused school, tying up a town’s fire cover for two hours, were condemned today.
The unoccupied Ballymena primary school was extensively damaged in an overnight arson attack.
Fires were started in three separate spots in St Mary’s primary and it took firefighters almost two hours to bring them under control.
A member of the public raised the alarm shortly after 10pm yesterday.
Martin McDonnell, Fire & Rescue Service Station Commander in Ballymena, said all three fire appliances in the town were tied up by the fire together with a fourth from a neighbouring town.
Curtains had been set on fire in one part of the school, paper towels in another and kitchen utensils and rubbish in the kitchen, he said.
He said: “Ballymena was stripped of fire cover for two hours. It is a shame to see such a waste of our resources.”
The arsonists needed to stop and think about what they were doing - never mind the danger they put themselves in.
He added: “This incident came less than 24 hours after official figures showed 40% of Fire & Rescue Service budget for Northern Ireland is spent on dealing with arson-related calls.”
The school closed at the end of the summer term last year and has stood empty since.
PA