Fire service deals with hundreds of emergency calls during Eleventh Night bonfires
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service responded to over 300 emergency calls during the annual Eleventh Night bonfire celebrations. Firefighters faced hostile crowds and dealt with multiple property fires, including the destruction of two homes.
Why it matters
The event highlights the ongoing public safety and social tensions associated with traditional cultural celebrations in Northern Ireland.
OVER 300 EMERGENCY calls were made to firefighters as Eleventh Night bonfires were lit across the North.
In one incident, firefighters had to withdraw from a bonfire in Cookstown, Co Tyrone, as a result of a hostile crowd.
In Belfast, a garage caught fire after flames spread from a bonfire.
The burning of Eleventh Night bonfires leads to one of the busiest evenings of the year for the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service.
Area Commander Dermot Rooney said operational activity was “consistently high” across Saturday night and into Sunday morning.
He said: “We received 303 emergency calls between the hours of 6pm 11 July and 2am 12 July 2026.
“This resulted in firefighters attending 151 operational incidents – 54 of these were bonfire-related.”
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