Coolmoyne House fire: Block of high-rise flats seen engulfed in smoke and flames

A large fire has broken out at a block of flats in Dunmurry on the outskirts of Belfast.

Photographs on social media show flames pouring from the side of the Coolmoyne House tower block on Seymour Hill.

It is understood the fire broke out on the ninth floor and spread to the tenth floor.

A local resident told the BBC she believed the tower had been evacuated and said she thought the authorities had the fire “under control”.

Flames pour from the side of Coolmoyne House in Dunmurry on the outskirts of Belfast (Robert Cullen)

John McPoland, a spokesman for the ambulance service of Northern Ireland, said: “The flats were evacuated by the fire service.

"They went in and were extinguishing the fire in a flat believed to be on the ninth floor.

"Four patients are receiving ambulance assistance at this moment. It appears that everyone has been evacuated.

“Northern Ireland ambulance service were called to the scene at 17.35 by fire and rescue.

"They dispatched five ambulance and emergency crew, five rapid response paramedics, nine ambulance officers, a doctor and two heart paramedics."

According to the Belfast Telegraph, hundreds of residents are now out in the street, with the local community hall operated by Seymour Hill and Conway Community Association opened.

The fire comes months after a local councillor in the area sought assurances that the block was safe following the Grenfell Tower fire.

In June, DUP Councillor Jonathan Craig said after the fire in London he had concerns about lack of sprinklers and smoke alarms in the hallways.

He also noted that none of the flats had the cladding that existed at Grenfell Tower, though new cladding for the building had been planned in 2015.