THE NORTHERN IRELAND Fire and Rescue Service has said it believes a major fire at a derelict hotel in Co Fermanagh was started deliberately.

The NIRFS was first alerted to the fire at the former Railway Hotel on Forthill Street in Enniskillen in the early hours of this morning, shortly before 5am.

At the height of the fire, over 40 firefighters were on the scene, as well as nine fire engines and an aerial appliance from the Northland Fire Station in Derry and a Command Support Unit from Strabane in Co Tyrone.

Damage at the back of the building NIFRS NIFRS

A spokesperson for the NIFRS said the fire was bought under control and prevented from spreading to nearby buildings due to the “tireless efforts of our firefighters”.

Forthill Street was closed for much of today and reopened at around 7.30pm.

The NIFRS thanked the public for their “ongoing patience whilst we dealt with the incident”.

Aftermath of the fire NIFRS NIFRS

It added that the “cause of the fire is believed to have been deliberate ignition” and that after the fire was dealt with by around 4pm, the scene was then left with PSNI.