Overview
- The blaze, reported shortly after 8pm on Sunday, tore through the derelict Antrim Arms in Ballycastle.
- Police said the fire was deliberate and opened a criminal investigation, asking anyone with dash-cam or CCTV to contact Coleraine on 101 quoting reference 1487 19/04/26.
- The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service deployed 42 firefighters, two aerial appliances, and a command support unit.
- The roof collapsed and a rear three-storey wing was largely gutted, leaving severe structural damage.
- Officers closed streets around the Diamond during the response, then reopened them once crews brought the incident under control.