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Boy treated after catching fire | Boy treated after catching fire |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A teenager is being treated for serious burns after catching fire at a row of derelict houses in north Belfast. | |
It is understood the 14-year-old had been in contact with petrol before the incident in Jamaica Street area on Monday. He is stable in hospital. | |
Sinn Fein's Margaret McClenaghan said empty houses have been causing problems in the area and "need demolished". | |
The Housing Executive said it cannot demolish the houses until electricity and water have been disconnected. | |
The teenager is being treated at the Royal Victoria Hospital | |
Police said they were alerted to a row of up to five derelict houses on fire at Jamaica Street at around 1700 BST on Monday. | |
A PSNI spokesman added that he believed the fire "was started maliciously". | A PSNI spokesman added that he believed the fire "was started maliciously". |
Ms McClenaghan said the houses were an "adventure playground". | |
"Whatever happened, this young lad has ended up with burns to his arms, his legs, his face, and he's a very lucky wee boy," she said. | |
The Housing Executive, which owns the derelict houses, said: "We are working closely with NIE to have the electricity supply disconnected as a matter of urgency and will demolish the houses immediately this is done. | |
"In the interim, each individual house had been fully secured as soon as the tenant moved out and the properties have been checked on a daily basis following ongoing vandalism in this area." |