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Police investigating arson after two cars burnt out in driveway

Hayley HalpinBBC News NI
Councillor Brian Higginson Two cars burnt out in a driveway. There is a cream coloured house behind the cars. Councillor Brian Higginson
The incident happened in the Killynure Green area of Carryduff

Police are investigating an incident of arson after two cars were damaged in a fire outside a house in County Down in the early hours of Wednesday.

The incident happened in Killynure Green in Carryduff at approximately 04:45 BST.

Police are following a line of enquiry that one vehicle was initially set on fire which then spread to another parked in the same driveway.

A family, including a child, were in the house at the time of the incident. No injuries have been reported.

Councillor Jamie Harpur Two cars burnt out in a driveway. There is a cream coloured house behind the cars. Councillor Jamie Harpur
A family, including a child, were in the house at the time of the incident.

Officers attended the scene, along with members of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service who extinguished the blaze.

Firefighters left the scene at 06:14 BST.

Police are treating the incident as arson.

Insp McCorry said the consequences of the incident "could have been far more serious".

"Extensive damage was caused to both vehicles, and enquiries are ongoing today to determine exactly what happened, who was involved and a motive," McCorry said.

A woman, with black hair tied back, standing in front of a row of houses. She is wearing a cream coloured jumper and has white earrings. She has tattoos on her neck.
Local resident Elise Conroy says the incident was "awful to see"

Local resident Elise Conroy told BBC News NI that she woke up to the sound of popping.

When she looked out her window, one of the cars was "engulfed in flames".

She said the family was still in the house.

"We all just kind of rallied together, ran over, screamed her name, tried to get as close to the house as we could, but everything was just up in flames, it was awful to see," Conroy said.

She said the woman and her child in the house eventually escaped.

She added: "No one should ever have to experience that, never mind in the one place you're meant to feel safe and at home. It was just awful."

Police are asking anyone with information to contact them.