Striking firefighters in Armagh have been criticised for leaving a house fire in the city without helping to put it out.

Two homes were destroyed in the blaze. No-one was injured.

The firefighters left their picket line to attend the fire on the Newry Road, but pulled back once it became clear there was no risk to life.

Charles Johnson, whose son's house was burned said he was disgusted by the attitude of the striking firefighters.

Charles Johnson criticised the firefighters

"Once they had established there was no life at risk and all the houses had been evacuated, they said it was no longer their responsibility, that they couldn't do anything about putting the fire out.

"One of them actually said to me that the whole terrace was going to go and that we were going to lose the six houses. We were absolutely disgusted," he said.

The fire was dealt with by two Yellow Goddesses and a team of retained firefighters.

Meanwhile, in Belfast's Donegall Avenue a man and a woman were taken to hospital with smoke inhalation after a fire in their home.

It started at about 0430 GMT on Monday and it is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault.

In Londonderry, the alarm was raised at about midnight at the Tilly and Henderson building.

It is the eighth time the goddesses have been called out to the derelict building since the strike began on Friday.

More than a dozen firefighters used specialist cutting equipment to release four people, including two children, who were trapped after a head-on car crash near Dungiven, in County Londonderry.

All were taken to hospital after the accident on Saturday night where their condition was described as stable.

Fire Brigades' Union spokesman Kieran Barr said the decision to attend the accident was necessary.

"They would have waited a long time for the arrival of the Army," he said.

"We believe and know that the Army is not that well equipped to carry out such rescues."

Meanwhile, in east Belfast, a Yellow Goddess was called out to a fire in a derelict building on the Newtownards Road. No-one was injured.

Military firefighters have been sent to 71 incidents in Northern Ireland since the start of the strike on Friday.

'Deal unaffordable'

As the strike continues into the third of its scheduled eight days on Sunday, there is still no sign of a breakthrough on the issue of pay.

Chancellor Gordon Brown has said that a 16% pay rise for firefighters - without savings from new working practices - would be unaffordable.

He said the inflation-busting deal, discussed in pay talks early on Friday, would cost Britain more than �500m over the next three years.

TUC general secretary John Monks called for a return to "calm reasoning" and an end to recriminations in the dispute.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott adopted a conciliatory tone, calling for "more talking and less walking".

Jim Barbour appealed for people to be careful

"The FBU and employers were close to a solution on Thursday. That deal is still worth talking about," he said.

Meanwhile, a firefighter is recovering in hospital after he suffered serious burns in an accident at a picket line in County Down.

He was lighting a brazier outside Banbridge fire station on Saturday when he was burned on his face, hands and legs.

The firefighter was taken to hospital in Newry before being transferred to a specialist burns unit in Belfast. His injuries are not life threatening.

Jim Barbour of the Fire Brigades' Union said the incident highlighted the fact that everyone, including firefighters, had to be careful.

"It can happen to the best of us," he said

"Everyone needs to be as vigilant as possible."