Firefighters attacked at bonfire

A brick smashed the window of the fire engine

Firefighters have been attacked in the Crumlin Road area of north Belfast.

It happened at about 2230 BST on Tuesday after crews were called to Florence Court. When they arrived they found youths standing around a bonfire.

They agreed not to put it out, but stones were thrown at the two fire engines as they left.

No one was hurt in the incident, which happened near the old courthouse. Two 18-year-old men have been arrested and charged with riotous behaviour.

The windscreen was smashed on one fire engine and the cab and locker doors damaged on the other.

Station Officer Tim Entwhistle said a driver could have been seriously hurt.

"It could have been a lot worse if the brick had come through it would have hit the driver in the head," he said.

"The seriousness of the matter is that that fire engine will be out of action.

"Unfortunately that means that's a fire engine that can't respond to a potentially serious incident, such as a house fire with people in it."