POLICE are investigating an arson attack which took place on a house with four people inside in the early hours of this morning.
PSNI offices were called to reports of a fire at a property in the Winters Grove area of Omagh in Co. Tyrone at around 3.45am today.
It is believed that the fire was started by an accelerant being poured through the letterbox of the front door of the house.
Firefighters managed to put out the blaze, but four people who were in the house at the time had to be treated for smoke inhalation.
“Officers attended alongside colleagues from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, who had managed to extinguish the blaze, which is believed to have been started after flammable liquid was poured through the letterbox,” the PSNI’s Detective Inspector Winters said this afternoon.
“The four occupants of the house were inside at the time of the incident and were treated at the scene by colleagues from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service for smoke inhalation,” he added.
The inside of the house has “extensive damage” caused by the fire, which Det Insp Winters claims “could have had very serious consequences”.
“This was an extremely reckless incident, and we are grateful to our colleague in the fire service for tackling this fire, which could have had very serious consequences for those affected,’ he said.
“An investigation is underway and I am appealing to anyone who may have any information which may assist us including CCTV, dash-cam or mobile phone footage, to get in touch by calling 101, and quoting reference number 187 or 03/04/24,” he added.