Suspected arson deprives vulnerable adult mental health service users of access to facility

Firefighters tackled the blaze in the early hours of Monday.

The Western Trust has said a suspected arson attack in the early hours of Monday has severely affected a vital adult mental health centre used by 40 people.

The blaze at Rossdowney House has meant 21 vulnerable service users of the Western Trust’s Melrose Day Centre, which is immediately adjacent, were unable to attend the facility as scheduled on Monday morning.

A spokesperson for the Western Trust said: “A fire was discovered overnight at Rossdowney House, Glendermott Road. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, alongside the PSNI attended the incident which is believed to have been started deliberately.

“Melrose Day Centre which is interconnected to Rossdowney House has been severely impacted by this deliberate fire. Melrose Day Centre delivers vital Adult Mental Health Day Care Services to 40 service users.

"The impact of this fire has resulted in 21 service users not being able to attend the Day Centre today (April 24, 2023). These vulnerable service users rely on coming to our Day Centre for support from staff and to engage with other service users and take part in therapeutic activities.

“Staff are currently keeping in contact with service users today and we are assessing the impact over the coming week.

"The art therapy room used by our clients has been completely destroyed which will have an impact on what we can deliver to our service users over the coming weeks. This will be devastating for our service users as all their beautiful art work has been destroyed.

“A number of Women and Children’s Services supporting families and young people have also had to be cancelled due to the damage caused to the premises.”

The PSNI confirmed that firefighters brought the fire at the building under control in the early hours of Monday.

Police said they were alerted to the blaze on Rossdowney Road at around 1.20am [on] Monday, April 24. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) were also at the scene and had extinguished the fire.

At this time the fire is being treated as deliberate, and investigated as arson, a spokesperson for the Police Service of Northern Ireland stated.

The Western Trust confirmed that it is the second time health and social care facilities have been the subject of arson recently.

A spokesperson advised: “This is the second deliberate fire to have occurred at health and social care facilities in Londonderry in recent weeks.

“The Trust would appreciate the public's cooperation with the police appeal for information in relation to this incident.”

The PSNI is asking anyone with information, or who was travelling in the area of Rossdowney House between 1am and 1.15am on Monday morning and has a dash cam fitted in their vehicle to check their footage.

The number to call the PSNI with information is 101, quoting the reference number 65 of 24/04/23.

You can also submit a report online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/.

Alternatively you can call the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/