A business owner says he is “devastated” after his shop was badly damaged in a fire in Newry.
On Monday, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said they believed the fire was started accidentally.
At its peak, about 50 crew members were handling the incident.
They believe the fire started at a go-kart racing centre just before midday on Saturday, before spreading to two other units.
Brian Murphy, director of House of Murphy, a furniture showroom that was one of two units badly damaged by the fire, said the family had just celebrated the 50th anniversary of the business.
Mr. Murphy thanked the firefighters and farmers who worked to extinguish the fire and the local community who also helped.
“It makes things maybe a little bit easier in difficult times,” he said.
“I knew there was a fire going on behind the house and our business caught fire after that.”
He said the showroom was open when the fire broke out.
‘I don’t think there’s anything left’
“There were even customers inside the store that we took out, and then the fire alarm went off, and everyone gathered in front of the store,” he said.
Mr Murphy said the damage to the unit was “very extensive”.
“I don’t think there’s anything else that needs to be straightened out,” he said.
On Sunday evening, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said the firefighting operation had ended.
NIFRS said access to the site would be restricted due to health and safety concerns.
On Saturday, a senior NIFRS commander also thanked local farmers who helped bring water to the scene using slurry tanks.
“I can’t praise them enough,” Paul Gould told BBC News NI.
‘Dangerous conditions’
“Their use of agricultural vehicles and their help and assistance has been invaluable.
“They have helped us with their machines and were able to give us water, in the beginning, when we didn’t have enough resources here and they are still helping us.
“So, I really want to thank each and every one of them.”
Mr Gould said crews had been working in “dangerous conditions” because the fire was “well advanced” when officers arrived.
He added that the fire was complicated by the “layout and construction of the building”.
On Saturday, Mr Gould said a “huge amount of resources” had been deployed to tackle the fire – six pumping machines, two aerial machines and a control unit.
Firefighters from Newry, Warrenpoint and Belfast were involved.
NIFRS has advised residents to “close all windows and doors in the local area”.
Roads around the plantation have been reopened.
