'Substantial damage' has been caused to a property in a Co Antrim fire.
PSNI are treating the incident, which happened in Ballycastle in the early hours of Thursday morning, April 6, as 'arson to endanger life'.
A number of local residents had to be evacuated as a precaution, and smoke and water damage was caused to several adjoining properties, police say.
Read more: Two hospitalised after shop sign collapses in NI town
A PSNI spokesperson said: “At around 2.25am, officers received and responded to a report of a fire at a flat in the Leyland Drive area of the town.
“Colleagues from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service also attended the scene, and extinguished the blaze, which resulted in substantial damage to a number of rooms in the property.
“Fortunately, there was no one inside the flat at the time of the incident, however, a number of residents from adjoining properties had to be evacuated as a precaution.
“They were later allowed to return to their homes.
“Smoke and water damage was also caused to several of the adjoining properties.”
The PSNI spokesperson continued: “Our enquiries to establish the circumstances of this incident, which we are treating as arson to endanger life, are continuing, and I would ask that anyone who was in the area at the time and saw anything, or who may have dashcam or other footage, to contact police on 101 quoting reference number 109 of 06/04/23.”
Alternatively, you can submit a report online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/.
You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/
Meanwhile, police are investigating an 'arson attack' on a property in Ballynahinch which also happened in the early hours of Thursday morning.
PSNI Inspector Heatley said: “At approximately 2.30am, we received a report of a fire at an upstairs flat in the Windmill Drive area of the town.
“Officers, along with colleagues from NIFRS attended and discovered that an oil tank had been set alight and a bin had been wedged against a door.
“The fire was extinguished and luckily no one was in the property at the time.
“We are treating this as arson with intent to endanger life and I am appealing to anyone who may have witnessed anyone suspicious in the area at the time or anyone who may have CCTV, dash-cam or doorbell footage that could assist with enquiries, to contact police on 101 quoting reference 106 of 06/04/23.”
READ NEXT:
Former soldier who subjected ex to 'deplorable' harassment gets probation
Baby killer has sentence increased as top judge says it was too lenient
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.
