Three people jumped to safety from an upstairs window after an arson attack on the offices of a weekly newspaper in Northern Ireland last night.

The fire, at the Down Democrat, in Downpatrick, delayed production but staff were confident that the paper would come out today as scheduled.

Three members of staff, who have not been named, escaped with relatively minor injuries after escaping through an upstairs window with the help of a passing motorist, who spotted the fire. Two were treated for smoke inhalation and the third for a leg injury.

Police appeals through the media led to the motorist coming forward. Today, forensic experts were examining the scene in an effort to establish the cause of the fire but police said it was being treated as malicious.

Although they refused to speculate about the possible motive, it is thought they are treating it as vandalism rather than anything more sinister

Two litter bins outside the building in Market Street were also set on fire.

A fire service official told the Belfast Telegraph that the blaze started in the main staircase area on the ground floor. Firefighters stopped it spreading to neighbouring premises.

“It was a very intense fire,” said assistant divisional officer Gerry Tonan. “It is an old timber-floored building and if it had taken hold, it would have spread to the whole block very easily.”

Police appealed for anyone who saw or heard any suspicious activity in the Market Street area between 11pm and 11.50pm to call them on 028 4461 5011.

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