Lagan Valley MLA condemns city centre arson attack

Speaking after the fire service managed to get the fire on the second floor of the building under control, Ms Eastwood said: “That this fire was a malicious act of arson is just shocking and I thoroughly condemn it.

"It is in a main thoroughfare with other shops and buildings that could easily have caught fire. We are lucky today that no one has been injured, but property has been damaged and livelihoods impacted.

"Businesses are having a tough enough time as it is without having to pay for damage caused by arson.

"I have requested meetings with both the Lisburn Castlereagh City Council and PSNI in light of this.

"I'm a Lisburn girl born and bred and given the events of recent months with the collapse in Bridge Street of a vacant property and now anti-social behaviour and arson at other vacant units in Antrim Street, it just highlights that we need a multi agency approach to improve our town centre and address the issue of vacant units and make sure own town centre is as good as it can be.”

Two fire appliances from the Lisburn Station attended the fire on Wednesday afternoon and had it under control shortly after 2pm. Police had closed the surrounding roads and urged motorists and pedestrians to avoid the area.

A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service said: “The cause of the fire is believed to be deliberate ignition.”