Thieves burgled lawyers before firing listed building

Arsonists who destroyed one of Belfast’s showpiece office blocks had burgled a top firm of solicitors before setting fire to the building, it was revealed tonight.

Laptop computers and mobile phones were found dumped after crews moved in to tackle one of the biggest blazes to hit the city since the blitz.

Millions of pounds worth of damage was caused to the listed Queen’s Building when flames swept through the four-storey structure.

As police confirmed it was started deliberately, McCann and McCann Solicitors, whose premises were ruined by the fire, disclosed some of its equipment was stolen.

Pearse MacDermott, a partner in the firm which represented some of the Bloody Sunday families, said: “It clearly looks like our office has been burgled.

“We are horrified to have been targeted like this and then to have had the place destroyed.”

More than 120 firefighters battled for over 15 hours to halt the raging blaze after it broke out on the top floor last Thursday.

The ferocity of the fire on Royal Avenue brought mayhem to the hub of Belfast’s commercial district.

Suspicions that it was started deliberately intensified when three laptops, two mobiles and personal items belonging to the solicitors were found scattered on nearby Rosemary Street.

A Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesman said today: “Officially we are now treating it as arson.”

Forensic scientists waiting to comb through the burned out Victorian building have been delayed for days amid fears it could collapse.

A Waterstones’ bookstore, a jewellers and the Press Association news agency’s Belfast bureau were located in the building and all gutted.

As well as smoke and flame damage, water also flooded down through the floors, ruining thousands of books and wiping out other valuable stock.

Horrified conservationists also feared the Victorian edifice built in 1883 would be demolished.

City council surveyors’ initial assessment was that it would survive, despite major structural damage.

But further police forensic examinations have been delayed until urgent safety measures are carried out.

A council spokesman said: “On the advice of our surveyors the police are employing a structural engineer to design a support mechanism for a section of the third floor where the roof has collapsed.”

Like other businesses in the 120-year-old edifice, McCann and McCann has been forced to relocate.

But with back-ups to all legal documents damaged in the fire, and staff set to move into new offices, Mr MacDermott insisted clients would not suffer.

He added: “Despite this setback we are hoping to be in new city centre premises and open for business in the next few days.”