Londonderry: Police treating fire at derelict building as arson

The police are treating a fire at a large derelict building on the outskirts of Londonderry as arson. Firefighters spent three hours dealing with the blaze at the former North West Regional College facility on Carrakeel Drive in Maydown on Sunday evening. The operation involved crews from Northland Road and Crescent Link in Derry as well as one from Dungiven. They used two jets to bring the fire under control before putting it out. Police have appealed for anyone who may have witnessed anything suspicious in the area on Sunday evening, or anyone with CCTV or other footage that could assist the investigation, to come forward. The trust said it continued to work towards a longer-term goal of securing a new purpose-built Emergency Department. The former Lisnagelvin leisure centre in Derry, which opened in the 1980s, has been vacant since it closed in 2015. Police believe the attacks, which both happened on Tuesday 6 October in Armagh, may be linked. Appeal court judges overturn a decision that blocked work starting on one of NI's biggest road projects. Relatives say the upgrade is overdue - but others have concerns about what it means for their homes. Copyright 2026 BBC. All rights re