Woman jumps out fire flat window

A wheelie bin was set on fire at the stairs

A woman has jumped from the window of her first-floor flat in Moygashel, near Dungannon, after an arson attack.

A fire was started in a wheelie bin at the bottom of the staircase of the flats in Moygashel Court and was reported at about 0245 BST on Saturday.

The Fire and Rescue Service said the woman and her boyfriend, who was rescued, had a lucky escape.

Cookstown station commander Davy Lawrence said the fire was well-alight when firefighters arrived.

"Two personnel wearing breathing apparatus went up to the flat concerned," he said.

"One male occupant was rescued but a female occupant of the flat jumped from the first-floor window just as the crew made entry into the flat and she suffered ankle injuries.

"There were occupants of two other ground-floor flats but they were able to escape unaided before we arrived."

The wheelie bin was set alight beside Darren Stewart's ground-floor flat.

"The doors burnt down and there was a lot of smoke damage around the hallway of the flats - it's a dirty old action," said Mr Stewart.

"It's not annoying me, but it's the case if there had have been old pensioners in these flats, they could have been killed."