A man whose house was “destroyed, top to bottom” during violence in Belfast has said he lost “sentimental” items in the fire, including some that had belonged to his late father.
People were forced to flee their homes and multiple cars and homes were set alight in the disorder on Tuesday that followed a knife attack on Monday in the north of the city.
Jamie Corry, who has lived on Lendrick Street for 13 years, said there were cars parked near his house that were targeted on Tuesday night.
“I came out that door and I told them: ‘This is my property, this is my property here,’ and then they started to light the red car up,” he said.
RM Block
“Once I saw the flames starting to get bigger and bigger, I moved away from my property, I moved down the street there and watched it all.
“The next minute the cars started to explode, the doors started smoking, the windows started melting, and the next thing the house was going to go up on fire.”
He said he entered his property on Wednesday morning to view the damage.
“It’s destroyed, top to bottom it’s completely destroyed,” he said.
Asked what happens next, he said he will go to the Housing Executive and tell them what has happened.
“I don’t know where to start,” Corry said. “I’m just glad my family, my kids were around at my missus’s house at the time.”
Another man who lives nearby said his three children were “very scared” during the disorder.
[ Man due in court over Belfast knife attack following night of violence in cityOpens in new window ]
Anselme Shima, originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has been living in Belfast since 2013.
He, his wife, two sons and daughter live near Lendrick Street where cars were set alight and they fear their house could be “the next to be attacked”.
“I’ve lived on my street for almost 10 years, I have a good relationship with my neighbours, but last night was a horrific one.
“Whenever my kids were asking me: ‘Daddy what is that noise?’ Where is that smoke from?’ We rushed to close the windows because of the smoke coming from the bus and then this street was on fire.
“My kids kept asking me: ‘Daddy, what is happening?’ I didn’t know what to tell them, so I put the news on for them to see for themselves. My son was asking me: ‘Daddy, are we OK?’ and I said: ‘Let’s pray to see what God will do to us tonight,’ Shima said.
“Now I’m asking: should I send them to school or should I keep them home?”
He added: “It’s just a terrifying moment, we don’t know what to do. I’m scared. Seeing this, I’m wondering if I’m next. If this happened (again) is my house the next to be attacked? I don’t know. It’s a very scary moment.” - PA
