Fire at former courthouse believed to have been deliberate

By Rebecca Black, Press Association

A fire at an historic former courthouse in Belfast is suspected to have been started deliberately.

A section of the Crumlin Road was closed on Monday night while firefighters tackled the blaze.

The building was used as the city’s main courthouse until its closure in 1998, and has since fallen into disrepair following a number of fires.

It sits across the road from Crumlin Road Gaol, which is now a tourist attraction.

Police have issued an appeal for information and witnesses about the incident on Monday.

A PSNI spokesperson said: “It was reported at approximately 8.40pm that part of a vacant building was alight, in what is believed to have been a deliberate ignition.

“Officers attended the scene, alongside colleagues from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service. The road was closed for a short time to allow for the fire to be extinguished.

“There were no reports of any injuries.

“Inquiries are ongoing and anyone who was in the area at the time and saw any suspicious activity, or who might have any information, CCTV or dashcam footage which might assist, is asked to contact police using the witness appeal form at reporting.psni.police.uk/appeals 1678 21/09/26, or call 101.”

North Belfast MP John Finucane urged anyone with information about the blaze to bring it to police.

“Last night, Crumlin Road Courthouse was set alight, with police believing it was deliberate,” the Sinn Féin representative said in a post on X.

“I’m appealing to anyone who may have seen suspicious activity or has footage from the area to contact police.

“With plans in place to bring this historic building back into use, we cannot allow it to be destroyed by deliberate fires.”

Crumlin Road Courthouse (Picture by Liam McBurney)