Residents Evacuated After Belfast Security Alert, West Belfast Arson

In Belfast, two separate incidents have led to evacuations and police investigations. In north Belfast's New Lodge area, a suspicious device was discovered on Victoria Parade, prompting a public safety operation that included the evacuation of around 100 residents and controlled explosions by police to neutralize the threat. Authorities closed nearby roads and advised the public to avoid the area as the investigation continues. Meanwhile, in west Belfast's Dunmurry area on Stewartstown Road, a flat fire has been confirmed as an arson attack, resulting in the evacuation of residents from a block of flats. Police are actively seeking information from the public regarding the deliberate ignition, reassuring that no one was inside the property during the incident. Both situations have heightened security concerns and ongoing police presence in the affected neighborhoods.