A firefighter has died in the UK and others are missing in a warehouse blaze that “could be the worst night for the fire service in decades”.

Firefighters were today said to be exhausted after dealing with weeks of “flooding hell” which has tested the service beyond its limit.

Feud and paramilitary attacks have fuelled surging numbers of arsons in the North, it was claimed today.

Investigators in England are looking into claims by a tanker driver that he triggered the Buncefield oil blast by flicking his engine cut-out switch while there was a vapour leak from the plant.

A bitter war of words erupted tonight over claims that firefighters were “woefully prepared” to fight the Buncefield oil blast.

Firefighters’ union leaders tonight accused Hertfordshire fire service of being “woefully prepared” to tackle the Buncefield oil depot blaze.

A POTENTIALLY serious loss of life was averted when a series of explosions and fire ripped through a major fuel depot in Hertfordshire in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Thugs who attack firefighters in the North face up to two years in jail under tough new plans, it was warned today.

Northern Ireland’s firefighters tonight donated their £50,000 (€70,960) hardship fund to the victims of the Asian disaster.

Leaders of one of the Britain’s biggest trade unions today decided to switch financial support directly to Labour MPs, costing the party £750,000 (€1.1m).

The firefighters’ pay dispute in Britain was due to flare up today with the threat of fresh industrial action because of a breakdown in the deal which ended the last conflict.

Firefighters’ working at the scene of the devastating nursing home blaze, which claimed the lives of 10 elderly people, were left “extremely distraught” by today’s tragedy, the Fire Brigades Union said.

A loyalist political party was today unveiling five basic principles as part of its manifesto for this month’s Northern Ireland Assembly Election.

Almost 2,000 firefighters returned to picket lines across Northern Ireland today in the latest stoppage in a long-running pay dispute.

Firefighters leaders in the UK today pulled back from calling fresh strikes over pay but warned that a 24-hour walkout will go ahead next week unless they get a renewed offer.

The British firefighters’ strike is in its final full day today as informal talks resumed between both sides in the bitter dispute, with little prospect of a deal being agreed.

Nearly 40 firefighters in the North could have lost their jobs if a pay deal to end their strike had been accepted, employers claimed today.

An eight-day strike by firefighters will go ahead today after last-ditch talks ended in failure, the Fire Brigades Union said.

Hopes of averting a strike by firefighters in Britain faded tonight after union leaders said they had been made an “unacceptable” pay offer.

A major new row flared today in talks to end the firefighters’ strike over claims that Northern Ireland employers have been shut out of negotiations.

Firefighters will consider any serious and significant offer on pay during talks aimed at averting an eight-day strike, one of their leading trade union spokesman in Northern Ireland claimed today.

Firefighters in Britain are to go ahead with a national strike tomorrow evening after last-ditch peace talks collapsed today.

Northern Ireland’s Chief Fire Officer today warned spiralling attacks on his crews could result in someone being killed.