Businesses damaged in city fire

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6385077.stm

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Three businesses have been damaged in a fire in south Belfast.

Six fire engines attended the scene of the blaze in University Avenue, but it has now been contained. The street has now been reopened to traffic.

The fire started at a printworks at about 0530 GMT and it is understood that arson may have been the cause.

A BBC reporter at the scene said the fire service said there had been forced entry and there was evidence of flammable liquid.

The fire, on the ground floor, did not spread due to the efforts of firefighters but a business above the printworks and one beside it have sustained some smoke damage.

Fire officer David Patton said the fire had been contained

Fire officer David Patton said fire crews had performed well to stop the fire spreading to other buildings.

"As you can imagine there's a quantity of paper and equipment for printing and painting around the premises," he said

"This would make this fire extreme very quickly and the fire crews did a very good job in dampening the fire down very quickly and stopping it spreading to adjacent buildings."