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Fire stops presses at Northern Ireland`s largest newspaper
Belfast, May 27: A fire at the `Belfast Telegraph` knocked out its printing presses and officials warned that Northern Ireland`s largest newspaper might not be able to resume normal production for several days.
Belfast, May 27: A fire at the ‘Belfast Telegraph’ knocked out its printing presses and officials warned that Northern Ireland`s largest newspaper might not be able to resume normal production for several days.
Yesterday`s fire was only the second time in the 133-year history of the ‘Belfast Telegraph’ that damage to the presses have halted production. In the mid-1970s, an Irish Republican army bomb seriously damaged the building in central Belfast.
The Northern Ireland fire service said about 40 firefighters were dealing with the nighttime blaze, which ignited after most of yesterday`s print run had already been completed.
Initial reports said that sparks caused accidentally by a maintenance crew set stacks of newsprint on fire. Nobody was reported injured. But fire officers said much of the multi-story building suffered smoke damage, while the presses suffered heavy water damage.
The afternoon newspaper, which is distributed each Monday through Saturday throughout this British territory of 1.7 million people, has a daily circulation of more than 110,000.
The ‘Belfast Telegraph’ press also normally produces the local editions of several British national newspapers, including the broadsheet daily ‘Telegraph’ and tabloid ‘Sun’, although these papers said that they had made emergency arrangements to use rival press facilities this week.
Bureau Report
The Northern Ireland fire service said about 40 firefighters were dealing with the nighttime blaze, which ignited after most of yesterday`s print run had already been completed.
Initial reports said that sparks caused accidentally by a maintenance crew set stacks of newsprint on fire. Nobody was reported injured. But fire officers said much of the multi-story building suffered smoke damage, while the presses suffered heavy water damage.
The afternoon newspaper, which is distributed each Monday through Saturday throughout this British territory of 1.7 million people, has a daily circulation of more than 110,000.
The ‘Belfast Telegraph’ press also normally produces the local editions of several British national newspapers, including the broadsheet daily ‘Telegraph’ and tabloid ‘Sun’, although these papers said that they had made emergency arrangements to use rival press facilities this week.
Bureau Report