Firefighters are concerned that the 118-year-old building housing the flagship Primark store in Belfast could collapse after it was gutted and left unsafe by a fire.

A senior fire officer described the blaze – which broke out on the fifth floor of the five-storey Bank Buildings on Castle Street on Tuesday morning – as one of the biggest he had battled in years

The store had been undergoing a multimillion-pound refurbishment and a recruitment drive for more than 100positions was launched last week.

Police put a 30-metre cordon in place as crowds gathered to watch flames and smoke billow from the building, which was designed by William Henry Lynn and completed in 1900.

Michael Graham, Belfast’s assistant chief fire and rescue officer, expressed “concerns” over the structural integrity of the building, with part of it “prone to collapse”. He said: “It was a difficult fire and a fire that has continued for approximately six hours.

“It has been a long and arduous six hours for them but we will continue to fight the fire until we extinguish it. It is one of the biggest we have experienced in the last two to three years.”

He said he was concerned about the front and the two sides of the structure. Graham added that he did not know what caused the fire, nor whether there were fire alarms or sprinklers in place. No one was injured.

Primark’s chief executive, Paul Marchant, said he was deeply shocked and saddened. He reassured staff who worked in the building that they would be “fully supported”.

One witness said he had spotted smoke coming from the roof of the building and alerted the security guards inside the store. The man, who asked to remain anonymous, said it appeared the security guards had not been aware of the fire.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Flames from a major blaze which has broken out at the Primark store in Belfast city centre. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA

Customers described smelling smoke inside the store before staff told them to leave. Loud bangs could be heard and large pieces of debris were seen falling from the building.

Joan McCoy, the president of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects, said: “Thankfully, there are no reports of any injuries arising from this major fire but it is a sad day for Belfast. Buildings like these help give Belfast its unique identity and character. The Bank Building is a very important part of the city’s architectural heritage and is loved by many.

“This building has survived bombs and fire before. We can only hope that the damage is not too severe and that the building can be saved.”

Glyn Roberts, the chief executive of Retail Northern Ireland, said: “The emergency services deserve credit for handling a very difficult situation in such a big store in a busy city centre without any reported injuries.

“This is a very concerning development, both for Primark and the city centre as a whole. Primark is a major attraction for Belfast and provides considerable footfall for surrounding traders.”

• This article was amended on 31 August 2018. An earlier version said the 233 year old building was designed by Sir Robert Taylor and built by Waddell Cunningham in 1785. The affected building was designed by William Henry Lynn and it was completed in 1900, making it 118 years old. A portion of the rear dates from 1885.



