Investigations are currently being carried out into a major fire at a fuel depot on the outskirts of North Belfast. Fire crews worked through the night to tackle the blaze at Hayes Fuel Depot in Ligoneil, which broke out around 9:00pm on Monday 29 May. Three fuel containers and a portacabin were destroyed in the flames, and the Fire and Rescue Service said it was too early to tell how the fire started. At one stage, thick black clouds of smoke could be seen for several miles around Belfast and at the height of the fire up to 60 fire officers and eight fire engines were employed. Around 30,000 litres of kerosene was involved in the fire as well as several tonnes of other fossil fuels, including coal, peat and briquettes. Despite the resulting high temperatures and thick, toxic plumes of black smoke, the fire was under control by Tuesday morning.
