Four girls (13) rescued from burning barn after 'terrifying' arson attack

Four 13-year-old girls have narrowly escaped tragedy, after being rescued from a flaming barn in Dunmurry by the Fire Service.

The PSNI say the arson attack at Mount Eagles Avenue in Dunmurry on Monday July 13 could have had "devastating" consequences.

Detective Sergeant Hollie McCartan said: “Shortly after 8:15pm, it was reported that four girls, all aged 13, gained access to a disused barn in the area. When inside, a number of male youths set blocks of polystyrene on fire and threw them into the barn.

"Wood and stones were also thrown into the premises which trapped the girls inside. One of the girls managed to contact Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service who attended and rescued the girls from the barn.

“Thankfully there were no reports of any serious injuries and only minor damage was caused to the barn.

One of the youths involved was described as having blonde hair which was shaved at the sides and wearing a black top and navy bottoms. Another was described as wearing a green and white coloured top, with a third described as wearing a grey tracksuit with the hood covering his face.

“It is extremely fortunate that we are not dealing with more tragic circumstances following this incident.

This was a terrifying ordeal for the girls trapped inside and if they had not managed to contact the authorities, the consequences could have been devastating. The persons responsible showed a complete disregard for the safety and wellbeing of those inside.

“Our enquiries are continuing and we would appeal to anyone who witnessed anything in the area at this time to contact detectives on 101, quoting reference number 1819 13/07/20. You can also submit a report online using our non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/. Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/.”