Firefighters respond to more than 300 emergencies during Northern Ireland bonfires
Firefighters dealt with more than 300 emergency calls as Eleventh Night bonfires were lit across Northern Ireland.
In one incident, firefighters had to withdraw from a bonfire in Cookstown, Co Tyrone, as a result of a hostile crowd.
In Belfast, a garage caught fire after flames spread from a bonfire.
The burning of Eleventh Night bonfires leads to one of the busiest evenings of the year for the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS).
Area Commander Dermot Rooney said operational activity was “consistently high” across Saturday night and into Sunday morning.
He said: “We received 303 emergency calls between the hours of 6pm 11 July and 2am 12 July 2026.
“This resulted in firefighters attending 151 operational incidents – 54 of these were bonfire-related.
“On Milner Street, Belfast, firefighters dealt with a garage fire following fire spread from a bonfire.
“In an isolated incident, firefighters withdrew from a bonfire in the Cookstown area as a result of a hostile crowd.”
Mr Rooney said that in Greenisland, close to Carrickfergus in Co Antrim, firefighters dealt with a row of terraced houses on fire, along with two oil tanks and a shed.
He said: “Two homes were completely destroyed with damage caused to a further two properties.
“The cause of the fire is under investigation.
“Firefighters also responded to other incidents across the night including accidental house fires in Antrim and Coleraine and an articulated lorry fire in Newry. ”
He thanked firefighters, regional control centre personnel and support employees for delivering the emergency response.
Mr Rooney said: “With further bonfires planned, we are prepared and ready to respond to all types of emergencies.
“We would encourage everyone to stay safe and make responsible choices throughout the remainder of the bank holiday weekend.
“With warm, dry weather continuing, we also ask anyone spending time outdoors to follow our countryside fire safety advice.”
A number of the traditional Eleventh Night bonfires were lit across Northern Ireland late on Friday and Saturday, and further pyres will be ignited on Sunday evening.
The bonfires are lit ahead of the Orange Order’s July 12 parades across Northern Ireland on Monday.
The parades mark the 334th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne, when the Protestant King William of Orange triumphed over the Catholic King James.
While most of the bonfires pass off without incident, several have become the focus of contention due to the placing of flags, effigies and election posters on the structures before they are ignited.
There was widespread condemnation after a bonfire in Moygashel, Co Tyrone, featured a replica of a mosque on top.
That bonfire was lit a day early on Thursday night ahead of a planned police operation to remove the effigy.
In Belfast, a man died on Saturday after falling off a bonfire in the Braniel estate on Friday.
Head of Investigations
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