Two homes destroyed as firefighters face 151 incidents during Eleventh Night

Two homes were completely destroyed and two others damaged after a major fire in Greenisland during a demanding night in which firefighters responded to 151 incidents across Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service received 303 emergency calls between 6pm on Saturday, July 11, and 2am on Sunday, July 12, with 54 of the incidents attended linked to bonfires.

Fire crews also withdrew from a bonfire in the Cookstown area after encountering what NIFRS described as a hostile crowd.

Homes destroyed in Greenisland fire

The most serious incident reported by NIFRS involved a row of terraced houses in Greenisland, near Carrickfergus.

Firefighters tackled flames involving the properties, two oil tanks and a shed.

Two homes were completely destroyed, while a further two properties were damaged.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and NIFRS has not said whether the incident was connected to a bonfire.

Garage catches fire following bonfire spread

In Milner Street, Belfast, firefighters dealt with a garage fire after flames spread from a bonfire.

Meanwhile, crews attending a separate bonfire in the Cookstown area were forced to withdraw because of a hostile crowd.

NIFRS Area Commander Dermot Rooney said operational activity had remained “consistently high” throughout the night, with increased demand for emergency assistance.

He said:

“We received 303 emergency calls between the hours of 6pm 11 July and 2am 12 July 2026. This resulted in Firefighters attending 151 operational incidents. 54 of these were bonfire related.”

House and lorry fires among other emergencies

Firefighters were also called to accidental house fires in Antrim and Coleraine, as well as an articulated lorry fire in Newry.

Mr Rooney thanked frontline crews, staff in the Regional Control Centre and support employees for maintaining the emergency response during what he described as a demanding operational period.

He said:

“Thank you to our Firefighters, Regional Control Centre personnel and Support employees for their professionalism and dedication in ensuring we continued to deliver an effective emergency response during this demanding operational period.”

Warning as more bonfires are planned

NIFRS said it remained prepared to respond to emergencies over the remainder of the bank holiday weekend, with further bonfires expected.

Mr Rooney added:

“With further bonfires planned, we are prepared and ready to respond to all types of emergencies.

“We would encourage everyone to stay safe and make responsible choices throughout the remainder of the bank holiday weekend.”

The public is also being urged to take extra care in the countryside as warm and dry weather continues, increasing the potential for outdoor fires to spread quickly.