A fire which broke out at the historic Steeple House in Antrim is being treated as arson.
Firefighters from Antrim, Ballymena and Springfield tackled the blaze which broke out overnight.
The historic Grade B listed building, was originally owned by the Clarke family and was the headquarters of the former Antrim Borough Council.
The property has been vacant since 2007, but plans to redevelop the site have been in the pipeline.
The blaze was brought under control just after noon today.
Paul Girvan MP said the centuries-old listed building served as the council offices for Antrim Council for many years and there will be countless fond memories of this building for the people of Antrim.
“Firefighters attended the fire and have been working hard to fight the blaze. The NI Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) have asked that residents keep their doors and windows closed due to the bellowing smoke from the fire. It is also important that the emergency services are allowed to do their job, so I would ask that no-one enters the site for their own safety,” he said.
Firefighters from Antrim, Ballymena and Springfield attended to a fire at the derelict Steeple House, Antrim. They used…
Posted by Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service on Tuesday, 2 July 2019