Belfast city centre fire over as cause of blaze under investigation

A man arrested in relation to a "suspicious" fire at a building in Belfast city centre has been released pending further investigation.

The fire which broke out in the Samuel Street area on Wednesday has now been extinguished and all roads have now reopened to traffic.

Police said enquiries are ongoing and asked anyone with information to come forward.

"Police have worked closely with NI Fire and Rescue Service crews, who have extinguished the fire, and other partners to ensure public safety and minimise the impact on local businesses," a spokesperson said.

Earlier a spokesperson for the Fire Service confirmed the blaze was over and said investigations into the cause are now underway.

"We will continue to work with the Police Service of Northern Ireland and our other partner agencies during the course of the investigation," they said.

Fire crews were called to the scene at around 2.40am on Wednesday.

Dozens of firefighters spent hours battling the blaze, while a wide cordon was put in place causing disruption to early morning traffic.

"When they did arrive it was a well-developed fire," Group Commander David Harbinson told UTV.

"It's been very challenging for us working through the night, but due to the efforts of the firefighters on scene they've prevented the fire from spreading to adjoining properties.

"So I have to commend them for their efforts."

Smoke continued to rise from the building on Wednesday afternoon as firefighters attended to the remnants of the fire.

The Fire Service says at the height of the incident, 40 firefighters and eight officers were involved in the firefighting operation. 

A spokesperson thanked the public for their patience while the fire was dealt with.

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