Strabane: Investigation into coffin makers blaze to begin

An investigation is due to begin later to determine the cause of a large fire that completely destroyed a coffin makers in Strabane, County Tyrone.

It broke out at O'Doherty's on Railway Street on Sunday afternoon as storms hit the north west.

Local people have told BBC News NI that they believe the blaze was linked to a thunder and lightning storm.

Fire service district commander Andy Russell said that will be one line of enquiry for investigators.

"Though we will have to wait until we can conclude that investigation, that will be one of the lines of investigation"," he told BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme.

At the height of the fire, 80 firefighters, 10 fire engines and four special appliances were at the scene.

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said it received a call about the fire at 16:10 BST on Sunday.

"The fire quickly engulfed this premises. At a different time of day, different day of the week, we would definitely have been faced with a more horrific scene," Mr Russell said.

"It was a substantial fire, I have no doubt that the hard work of the crews ensured this fire was contained and they managed to stop the spread to surrounding commercial and residential premises".

The fire service said the operation has now been scaled back but crews remain at the scene and Railway Street remains closed.

Mr Russell said the investigation would begin when the building is deemed safe enough for investigators to enter.

West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan said the O'Doherty family were "absolutely devastated".

"This is a family who have been on this street for 113 years," Mr McCrossan said.

"I cannot get out of my mind today the impact this has had on this family and on the community. It hits very hard for people, this is one of the oldest longest surviving businesses in this town".

A number of the businesses' 27 employees were at the premises on Monday morning to see how they could help, he added.

Mr McCrossan had earlier told BBC News NI that he had heard an "explosion" on Sunday afternoon and said there had been a "very loud lightning strike in the wider area".

Derry City and Strabane District Council had warned the public to be cautious of flooding across the area on Sunday as storms hit.

The Western Trust said part of its new waiting area in the Emergency Department at Altnagelvin Hospital had to be closed due to minor flooding.

DUP Foyle MLA Gary Middleton told BBC Radio Foyle a number of homes and businesses in Londonderry were badly affected.

"We are still assessing the overall damage. Two of the families we were with yesterday afternoon have had to go to alternative accommodation".

The lower deck of the Craigavon Bridge in Londonderry was obstructed from the Duke Street direction by a car in flood water.

The council's mayor, DUP councillor Graham Warke, tweeted a picture showing flooding on the lower deck.

Portstewart Promenade remains closed to traffic on Monday morning due to structural damage caused by heavy rain, but pedestrian access has been reinstated.

Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Richard Holmes said rainwater had backed up in the pipes under the promenade and could "not get away fast enough".

He said work had been carried out overnight and it is hoped the road will be repaired later on Monday.

Businessman Damian Morelli said the road "had had lifted slightly in places," following a thunderstorm at about 18:00 on Sunday evening.

"Basically the water started to lie on the promenade, run down the promenade, and then all of a sudden, the surface of the road started to break up in places," he said.

Mr Morelli said businesses would trade as normal on Monday.

A yellow weather warning from the Met Office had been in place across the west of Northern Ireland until midnight on Sunday.