Woman in serious condition after shop arson attack

A 42 YEAR OLD woman remained in a serious condition in hospital last night, after being engulfed by flames in an arson attack on a shop in north Belfast.

Meanwhile, a man who was stabbed with a screwdriver has died in hospital. Mr Kenneth Auld (47), from Ballyclare, Co Antrim, was stabbed early last Tuesday in Toberwine Street, Glenarm. A man has been charged in connection with the incident.

There were two other arson attacks in the North and two shooting incidents in which no one was injured.

The RUC said it was investigating "all possible motives" for the north Belfast attack. So far there had been no indications that the attack was sectarian.

The incident occurred on Saturday when the owner of a newsagent's in Duncairn Gardens was pulling up the shutters of the shop. He was attacked from behind by three men who doused him in petrol. The men went into the shop and, according to police there was an explosion seconds later.

Eyewitness reports said the woman staggered from the shop covered in flames.

The shopowner (39) suffered burns to his hands.

Chief Inspector Richard Meek of the RUC described the attack as one of the most vicious crimes we've experienced here".

In Coleraine, Co Derry, shots were fired through the living room window of a house early on Saturday. A couple who were in the room at the time were uninjured but suffered shock. In Moira, Co Down, two shots were fired at a house in Castleview. A couple and their teenage son escaped injury when the shots hit the front door and a living room window.

The attacks were not believed to be sectarian.

In a separate arson attack, a man suffered a slight arm injury while escaping from a fire at his home in Bangor, Co Down, early on Saturday. Police believe flammable liquid was poured through the letter box and set alight. In another incident which occurred at about the same time in Bangor, two vacant shops and a flat above them were destroyed by fire in North Queen Street. Police believe the fire was malicious.