Brave taxi Driver EXTINGUISHES Belfast shop fire started by arsonist

A brave taxi driver extinguished a shop fire in west Belfast after being attacked by an arsonist police are looking to apprehend.

A shop worker and the taxi driver escaped injury during the incident on Friday night.

According to police sources, a man entered the shop on Carrigart Avenue at around 8.40pm and sprayed a liquid from a plastic bottle over electronic equipment, including the till at the counter and one of the shelves in the shop.

The man then ignited the liquid and demanded the member of staff to leave.

PSNI Inspector Moutray said: "The suspect left on foot in the direction of Creeslough Park.

"A passing taxi driver ran into the shop and extinguished the fire. Thankfully they and the member of staff were not harmed."

The suspect was wearing a dark coloured baseball cap with a dark coloured snood/scarf covering the lower part of his face. He also had on dark coloured trousers and light coloured trainers.

Police are appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time the incident took place, or who may have CCTV or dashcam footage, to contact them.