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Police treating blaze at Crumlin Road courthouse as arson

News imageBBC Red and tellow fire appliances outside the former courthouse on Crumlin Road in north BelfastBBC
The fire was reported at 20:40 BST on Monday

Police are treating a fire at the former Crumlin Road courthouse as arson.

Firefighters were dispatched to the vacant building in north Belfast at about 20:40 BST on Monday.

The Crumlin Road was closed for a short time in both directions between Agnes Street and Carlisle Circus.

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service said five appliances and an aerial appliance were at the scene. There were no reports of any injuries.

Designed by Sir Charles Lanyon in the 1840s, the courthouse is one of Northern Ireland's most distinctive buildings.

It closed in 1998, after nearly 150 years of use, but had already been damaged by previous fires.