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More than 100 emergency calls on Eleventh Night
Monday, 13 July 2009
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Eleventh night bonfires sparked more than 100 calls to the Fire and Rescue Service, it was confirmed yesterday.
And the towering infernoes required a total of 80 responses into the small hours of Sunday morning.
“Thankfully no one was injured,” a spokesman said — though some operations involved having to use water jets to cool down adjacent housing and other buildings.
But the blazes actually lit on July 11 were only the first night of this year’s bonfire event.
Fire chiefs were last night expecting even more bonfires to be lit as the ‘Twelfth’ itself got under way, a day late due to falling on a Sunday.
And most the fires — possibly a majority — were not being lit after midnight, with Sunday over.
But it was hoped, a Fire and Rescue spokesman added, that the fires would not necessarily translate into calls on the service.
On Saturday and the early hours of yesterday the majority of the calls were in the Belfast area, although a Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said they responded to incidents across Northern Ireland.
By 1am, the service had received 104 calls and responded to 80 incidents. In some cases, dwellings and other buildings had to be cooled by crews using firefighting jets due to the proximity of bonfires.
The number of calls almost doubled between 11pm and 1am as the bonfires reached their heights.
By 11pm, the service had received just 64 calls and responded to 45 incidents, which represents a decrease over the same period in 2008.
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Comments
55 Comments
Trojan - Why not trace the beginning of protestantism further back to the Lollards? I meant that the movement took off during the reformation which began in 1517, which would be the...er...16th Century! Anyways St. Paddy wasnt protestant!
As long as the OO bans members from attending catholic services (even the funerals of friends) and allows UFF and UDA emblems (like those seen on the Belfast parade today) to adorn banners and drums it will remain a sectarian organisation to nationalists.
Posted by Reality Check | 14.07.09, 02:03 GMT
Buttermelts - The hoods in Ardoyne deserve the full brunt of the law.
I am in no way defending illegal acts, nor secterianism, hence all my arguements against bonfires.
How about actually rebutting the points I have raised? Instead of mindless insult slinging? If you cannot then I assume the 'anti-bonfire' side have won, point, set, match!
Cya
Posted by Common sense | 13.07.09, 22:58 GMT
Nee-new - perhaps this would be a better explanation;
Your a white man, your grandkids are black. Would you take them to an openly anti-black parade. Lets assume your answer is a resounding NO!
So why on earth would you take your catholic grandkids to an openly anti-catholic parade.
Can you understand that now? I think it's pretty simple to understand but then again you didn't get it the first time....
Posted by Common sense | 13.07.09, 21:29 GMT
Nee-naw - my posts have been nothing but logical and factual - please point out where they haven't?
Deflecting game....? It was an analogy - not a great one but none the less my points remain. Perhaps I should clear it up;
The Orange Order is openly anti-catholic
The KKK is openly anti-black
Would you watch a KKK parade burning crosses shouting white power? - no, because its discriminatory.
Yet you watch an OO parade which is discriminatory?
Contradiction, no? I worry for your grandkids.
Posted by Common sense | 13.07.09, 21:24 GMT
I see the usual suspects are out in force, spreading their vile bile.
I don't believe the OO has a directive requiring bon fires. The bon fires are built in low/no income areas, by hoods for hoods. I am a protestant and wouldn't dream of going to one, but I did attend a parade today. Nationalist hoods are no better than protestant hoods (all need to find a job). Some people on this board need to stop throwing stones in glass houses, or, should that be petrol bombs at the police in Ardoyne.
Posted by buttermelts | 13.07.09, 21:13 GMT
Dear Commonsense ...... I see that you fear anything that will close the divide!!! I will not get drawn into a debate with someone who plays the deflecting game. You do not have a valid argument regarding my post, so like an idiot you try to deflect it to the KKK.
Posted by Nee-Naw | 13.07.09, 21:05 GMT
Well said Soarer.
Fact remains that the majority of people who enjoy the 12th fail to see that they are supporting an organisation which is 100% anti-Catholic or they can see it and they don't care.
It is this reason why intelligent protestants have deserted these thuggish and archaic parades and bonfires.
If you want a contemporary example of hatred + chavs/spides then the 12th is your prime example.
Posted by SM | 13.07.09, 20:48 GMT
Trojan - stop being pedantic...St. Patrick was not a protestant - fact, that was the point in hand.
Gary - No one ever said they wanted the Irish flag flown? Yes it is illegal to fly it - but that's not the arguement or relevant.
I don't want to seem arrogant but the topic is bonfires - please keep to the point and stop these random tangents that are not relevant. Perhaps it's because you have no leg to stand on in terms of debate?
Posted by Common sense | 13.07.09, 20:38 GMT
Sorry guys if its too complicated for you all to understand my posts I'll take it to a forum with posters with post GCSE schooling
Posted by Steve | 13.07.09, 20:28 GMT
"Interestingly, the KKK destroyed the Orange Order in the USA - they didn't like the way they welcomed black people as equals in their ranks. Maybe you've got more in common with them than you thought!"
Oh steve you are missing the point....again
I'm beginning to understand why these knuckle dragging apes still construct and burn these bonfires whenever obnoxious imbeciles like steve are around
Posted by Common sense | 13.07.09, 20:28 GMT
Reality Check - I have little interest in this tawdry debate, but the Reformation took place in the 15th century. This was not the beginning of Protestantism, but rather the mass explosion of it. There have always been alternatives to the Roman Church. The Moravian faith alone pre-dated the reformation by a century.
Posted by Trojan | 13.07.09, 20:21 GMT
All this complaining about bonfires and how they are illegal and should be removed. Correct me if i am wrong but is northern ireland not part of the UNITED KINGDOM. Then why is the TRICOLOUR allowed to be flown in the country as it is a foreign (illegal) flag. No other country would allow it so as stephen pointed out bonfires are illegal period "there is nothing to argue about" so the same rules should apply to the TRICOLOUR "nothing to argue about" and remove them.
Posted by GARY | 13.07.09, 19:56 GMT
Posted by Linz
'and I'd like to point out St Paddy was a Protestant.'
What have you been smoking and where do I get some?! St. Patrick died around 460 AD whereas protestantism began in the 16th century! That man was a serious trend setter - literally 1100 years before his time!
Posted by Reality Check | 13.07.09, 19:42 GMT
So Steve, how many union jacks are burnt on St. Patricks day? Perhaps you'd like to see an effigy of the queen burnt to even things up? Would you find that offensive? Hey, after all burning the tricolour isn't offensive, is it?
Your contention that the Irish flag isnt related to catholisim is idiotic. Many in the North consider this their national flag. Its anti-irish, which is equally as offensive! Your replacing bigotry with xenophobia and claiming its fine! Only a unionist....
Posted by Reality Check | 13.07.09, 19:36 GMT
"By your logic the next time I'm in America's deep south I should 'celebrate' with the KKK and watch their parades and so should black people"
Interestingly, the KKK destroyed the Orange Order in the USA - they didn't like the way they welcomed black people as equals in their ranks. Maybe you've got more in common with them than you thought!
Posted by Steve | 13.07.09, 19:09 GMT
I think we should all learn to ignore any posts by steve - he doesn't seem to be able to connect the dots very well
Posted by Common sense | 13.07.09, 19:02 GMT
Steve you are a laugh, or is that a joke?
You said...
"Perhaps its because they are intelligent to realise that the Irish Tricolour and Catholicism DONT have to go hand in hand."
Then why are tricolours burnt on top of a bonfire?
Obviously someone forgot to inform the intelligent "cross community" workers building the fires that they don't symbolise their Catholic neighbours. Maybe then they would have got the Pope to put on top. Just like the old day eh?
GIVE US A BREAK.
Posted by Paul | 13.07.09, 18:57 GMT
Stephen - why was that directed at me? I don't see the point your making?
None the less - these bonfires are ILLEGAL! Period! There's nothing to argue for? (Forgetting the secterian nature of their existance).
Nee-Naw - I think your ignorant. By your logic the next time I'm in America's deep south I should 'celebrate' with the KKK and watch their parades and so should black people - your logic is mad!
Posted by Common sense | 13.07.09, 18:30 GMT
By far the majority of protestants I know dislike these events. It seems to only be taken up by the low-intelligent, tattoo, football top and gold chain clad poor people and their offspring. We have soaps, jeremy kyle, cheap alcohol, bookmakers, red top tabloids and celebrity shows for these people. Surely they dont need pandering to anymore and this anti-social yearly event should be scrapped and a strong line taken?
Posted by soarer | 13.07.09, 18:20 GMT
Common Sense;
It is a bit silly to put Tricolours on bonfires but is not practiced as much now, like the 12th, the 11th is being cleaned up. The bonfire I attended this year did not have any slogans or Tricolours on or near it and no Loyalist terrorist "show of strength". When I was a youngster we always had an effigy of the pope on our bonfire.
Stephen
Posted by Stephen | 13.07.09, 17:59 GMT
55 Comments