Couple escape 'suspicious' blaze

Several houses were badly damaged in the fire

A man and his wife have escaped injury in a suspicious fire at their home in Antrim.

The flames spread from a heating oil tank and shed at the back of the house in Oriel Park at about 0345 GMT on Thursday.

The couple's pet cat was injured in the blaze and had to be treated for burns.

The property was badly damaged.

Neighbour Miriam Smith, who raised the alarm, said: "We looked out the back and the houses were really on fire.

"The flames were just licking everywhere.

"But it was the noise more than anything, such a horrible, horrible noise."

Police said they were treating the fire as suspicious.

'Combustible materials'

The Fire Brigade advised concerned home owners to build small walls around oil tanks.

Spokesman Sam Arlow said oil tank fires could be lethal.

"What you have is highly flammable liquid on fire, normally in quantities of 400 or 500 litres, which means they'll spread the fire to any combustible materials within a short range," he said.

The incident comes a day after a similar fire in north Belfast when a family's home was destroyed in an arson attack.

An oil tank was set alight at Lansdowne Park at about 0220 GMT on Wednesday.

Police have appealed for information.