Fire at derelict hotel being treated as deliberate, police say

By Jonathan McCambridge (Press Association)

A fire at a derelict hotel in Co Antrim is being treated as deliberate, police have said.

More than 40 firefighters battled the blaze at the former Antrim Arms Hotel at The Diamond in Ballycastle on Sunday night.

Cordons have been in place around the building in the centre of the town for more than a year due to concerns over its structural integrity.

A PSNI spokesperson said: “Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding a fire at a property in Castle Street, Ballycastle, on Sunday.

“The fire at the derelict hotel, which is being treated as deliberate, was reported to police shortly after 8pm on Sunday evening.

“Officers attended and closed a number of streets in the area while fire service personnel extinguished the fire.

“All streets have now re-opened.”

The spokesperson appealed for anyone with information to contact them.

A Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) spokesperson said they received a call about the incident shortly after 8pm on Sunday.

During the blaze, 42 firefighters, two aerial appliances and a command support unit were at the scene.

Local residents had been advised to keep windows and doors closed.

Sinn Fein councillor Cara McShane said the former hotel, was a “cornerstone of heritage in the town”.

The Antrim Arms Hotel in the Diamond area of Ballycastle on Sunday after a fire started around 8.15pm. PICTURE: MCAULEY MULTIMEDIA