Fire exit at blaze home locked

The home was badly damaged in blaze

One of the exits at a Londonderry residential home, which was set on fire on Boxing Day, was locked, the Northern Ireland Fire Service has said.

Twenty-two pensioners fled the home on William Street during the fire, which fire service said was started deliberately.

The Foyle Health Trust, which runs the home, said the door was locked because of the threat of vandalism.

No-one was hurt in the fire although one woman suffered shock.

Assistant Divisional Fire Officer Willie Lynch said indications suggested the fire was started by someone burning rubbish.

He said: "The fire appears to have started in rubbish to the rear of the premises and that spread on to the roof."

Foyle trust said the elderly people were lucky to be alive.

Chairman of the trust, Tony Jackson, said: "We had one resident who had to be taken to hospital suffering from shock, but thankfully she has been discharged.

"Thankfully there were no casualties, that is nothing short of a miracle because if this had happened at two or three in the morning, it could have had very tragic consequences."