Primark Belfast Fire

Local disaster when the iconic Primark store in Belfast’s Castle Street went up in flames at 11am this morning. The fire started on the top floor of the building and spread down the five floors as the day went on. The smoke from the fierce fire could be seen from across the city of Belfast. The store recently undergone a multi million pound refurbishment with 100 new jobs.A quick video of the fire! Unfortunately I had no video camera or support to produce a video!The building was built in 1785 and designed by Sir Robert Taylor. It was originally called the ‘‘The Bank of the Four Johns’ due to the fact that the owners were called John. After the bank closed it was then was occupied by the Bishop of Down and Connor. In 1805 the building was changed to retail use which made it the perfect location for Primark to set up in 1979.As the flames grew and engulfed the beautiful building the police made the area secure to allow the fire crews to get to work. As the fire got bigger so did the crowds of people watching the firemen hard at work.Due the seriousness of the fire the police put a number of diversions and road closures in place to help the fire crews tackle the incident. The following roads are closed:Bridge StreetHigh StreetCastle StreetQueens StreetRoyal AvenueNorth StreetSupport was given to the emergency services and media on High Street with Starbucks, Corn Market and other food outlets providing refreshments such as tea, coffees and tray bakes.At the scene there are 14 fire appliances, 100 fire crew, 3 aerial platforms, a high volume pump and 2 command units showing the scale of the incident. A recent update given from the Fire Service states:“A spokesman said: “………Fire has extensively damaged the Primark building in Belfast City Centre which started on the fifth floor of the five-storey building before spreading to all floors. Fire-fighting is ongoing and will continue into the evening. Residents and businesses in the area are advised to keep windows and doors closed due to heavy smoke in the vicinity.“Whilst the incident is ongoing, NIFRS wishes to reassure the public that contingency measures are in place to ensure normal service delivery is maintained across Belfast.”The source of the fire is still unknown and subject to an investigation.To use or licence any of my images please contact the writer.