Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
BBC News NI reporters Luke Sproule and Ross McKee have highlighted the challenging and busy Eleventh night in Northern Ireland as wildfires added pressure on firefighters. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service dealt with 277 emergency calls between 18:00 and 02:00 BST, with 72 of them related to bonfires, more than double compared to the previous year.
Bonfires were lit across Northern Ireland on the Eleventh night, with one controversial site off the Donegall Road in south Belfast drawing attention. These fires are part of celebrations in some unionist areas leading up to the Orange Order’s 12 July parades. While most incidents were uneventful, some proved to be contentious.
NIFRS Area Commander Andy Burns revealed an instance where a firefighter was attacked at a bonfire in Lisburn, although they were unharmed and continued their duties. Along with bonfire incidents, firefighters responded to various calls, including attending wildfires in Newcastle and a road traffic collision in Rathfriland. With high temperatures and dry weather, further operational activity is anticipated in the coming days.
The Donegall Road bonfire in south Belfast raised concerns due to the presence of asbestos on the site and its proximity to electricity substations that supply two major hospitals. Despite Environment Minister Andrew Muir’s plea to avoid lighting or attending the bonfire, it was eventually lit just after midnight. Effigies of rap trio Kneecap appeared on bonfires in different locations, including south Belfast and Dungannon, County Tyrone, along with banners referencing the group. The band’s manager shared a quote from Kneecap emphasizing the shared challenges faced by young working-class individuals in Belfast, regardless of their origins on the Falls Road or Shankill
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.