Emergency Crews Respond To Palace Barracks Fire

A fire has caused extensive damage to the Royal Irish Regimental Head Quarters at Palace Barracks, near Belfast.

The alarm was raised at 7:15am this morning and fire crews were called.

Much of the building's roof has been destroyed.

Major Colin Gray, Regimental Secretary, Royal Irish Regimental Head Quarters, Palace Barracks, described the fire as a "disaster" and took the call from the fire brigade.

He spoke to Forces Radio BFBS' Cherry Casey a short while ago:

Major Gray said the cause of the fire was not clear at this stage, and that no injuries have been reported.

Some valuables from the building have been recovered, including two statuettes and a cigar box.

"We are very lucky that the fire started at one end of the building - the end of the building that had less of our valuable artefacts and history in it," Major Gray said.

"The other end of the building where the really valuable regimental memorabilia isn't quite as badly damaged."