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'£1m worth of damage' after blaze at business

Luke SprouleBBC News NI
BBC A man is looking into the camera and not smiling. The sky is full of smoke. An aerial ladder is up. A police car, and people in high viz jackets are in the background. BBC
Manager Eamonn Morgan said the blaze had caused about £1m worth of damage

An overnight fire at a building contractor in County Armagh has caused about £1m worth of damage, according to one of the managers.

Police are investigating the incident on the Ballyards Road in Milford.

Firefighters left the scene at about 18:00 GMT on Saturday, but more than 50 attended during the height of the blaze, from stations in Armagh, Keady, Portadown, Banbridge, Dungannon, Newtownhamilton, and Lisburn.

Eamonn Morgan, contracts manager at Mamo Building Services, said they had woken up to a "bleak situation".

"It probably looks to be over £1m of damage here, between stock, equipment, vehicles and damage to the premises itself," Morgan said.

"One of the guys who lives beside us here has a store and there's a few vintage tractors that have been devastated as well."

The Northern Ireland Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) received a call at about 03:45 GMT on Saturday.

Pacemaker Press A red, yellow and black fire engine is parked beside a hedge. A house and another fire engine are in the background. Firefighters are holding a hose. Pacemaker Press
Over 50 firefighters attended during the height of the blaze

The business has a contract with the Housing Executive and employs about 150 people.

"It will probably take months to sort out in terms of what we can get back on track with and the service that we can deliver," Morgan added.

"Our contract with the Housing Executive is 24 hours, seven days a week, 365 days, so we have to be back at it on Monday morning as best we can and try to provide the service that we're contracted to do."

Pacemaker Press A firefighter is on top of an aerial ladder pouring water from a hose onto a fire below . A tree without leaves is in the background. Pacemaker Press
Firefighters also used an aerial appliance to help bring the fire under control

The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) councillor Thomas O'Hanlon called the incident "devastating".

"The premises is home to a long‑established, family‑run business operating in the building supply and construction sector," he said.

O'Hanlon added that the impact of the fire "will be felt far beyond the immediate site, by the family and staff directly affected, and by the many customers, suppliers, contractors and members of the wider construction community".

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