Bomb attack suspected as fire ravages Belfast shops

Police believe a blaze at a retail park in south Belfast may have been caused by a terrorist firebomb attack. Northern Ireland's health minister Michael McGimpsey said today that it was "unusual" that the fire at the Boucher Crescent retail park today broke out at 4am. Three stores – Poundstretcher, Birthdays and JD Sports – were badly damaged by flames while several other were affected by smoke and water. A fire service investigation team is working with police to establish the cause of the fire, but it is not known if it was started deliberately. Eighty-five firefighters and 17 appliances were used to bring the blaze under control. Assistant chief fire officer Owen Doyle said this morning: "We have three of the shop units at Boucher Crescent severely damaged by the fire and a further nine units that have been affected by smoke and water damage. "At this point, we have the fire surrounded and are attempting to prevent it from spreading along the roof. "The fire appears to have started at Poundstretcher and as yet we are unable to establish how it started. It has also spread to the adjacent properties on either side." The shopping complex, close to the M1 motorway in Belfast, has been repeatedly attacked in the past – by the IRA during the Troubles and in recent years by republican dissidents using incendiary devices smuggled into stores.