A West Belfast pub has been gutted in a fire that broke out on Saturday morning.
An image of the aftermath of the blaze, at the Trinity Lodge bar in the Turf Lodge area, shows at least a partial collapse of the roof of the building.
Earlier, the Fire Service said there were three standard appliances and an aerial appliance at the scene. However in an updated statement issued on Saturday afternoon they said five appliances and two aerial appliances were used to tackle the blaze.
A Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) Spokesperson said: “NIFRS are dealing with a fire at Trinity Lodge Public House, Belfast. The fire was well developed in the kitchen area when Firefighters arrived.
“The fire has been brought under control by Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus and using firefighting jets, and through jets from 2 Aerial Appliances. There are 5 Fire Appliances and 2 Aerial Appliances in attendance. There were no casualties. The cause of the fire is believed to be accidental.”
Local Councillor Micheal Donnelly expressed his sadness at the fire, saying the bar was a popular spot for locals.
The Sinn Fein rep added: “My thoughts are with the owners and staff of the Trinity Lodge bar and restaurant which caught fire earlier this morning.
“Thankfully nobody was hurt and all staff escaped safe and sound. The Trinity Lodge bar and restaurant is an iconic building in the Turf Lodge area and has been there for decades. It’s very popular amongst locals and others across Belfast. People are just devastated.”
He said the fire “has caused extensive damage to the building”.
