Community rallies round families hit by oil tank fire

Community rallies round families hit by oil tank fire

4 June 2025

HELP continues to roll in for families affected by a devastating fire in Drumaness two weeks ago.

Over £4,000 has been raised via an online appeal, with Ballynahinch Credit Union donating £1,000 and the Asda Foundation donating a range of essential supplies.

In addition, a fundraising concert is being held this Friday at 8pm in Drumaness GAC clubrooms by the Andrea Rice Band and other musicians.

The May 20 fire at Cushowen Place gutted two homes and damaged three others after an oil tank went on fire, with the blaze described as an “inferno” and firefighters spending five hours putting out the blaze in the village.

Five appliances were sent to deal with the fire which broke out at a row of terraced houses, with firefighters from Ballynahinch by colleagues from neighbouring fire stations, including Downpatrick and Carryduff.

The fire started when a boiler exploded at one home and quickly ignited an oil tank, quickly engulfing the property, with the fire spreading to a next door property.

While two houses suffered extensive damage and the three neighbouring homes sustained smoke damage, it’s believed that a garden wall prevented the fire spreading to one of the three houses.

Drumaness and District Community Association member Maggie McAlister said she could see smoke from her house, just a few streets away, explaining sShe could see thick, black smoke billowing up.

Her first thought was her son who lives in the are and when she heard he was safe, her thoughts turned to others, describing the fire as “just awful” with the blaze leaving one family with nothing.

“We then decided as a community group to come together and support the families when they really need it most,”, said Maggie.

“We first of all put an appeal out for basic clothing and shoes and we were just overwhelmed with donations. The first day, we must have received about 12 bags of clothes and shoes.

“People also donated toiletries and food. One person even offered to donate a bed, but obviously they don’t have anywhere to live at the moment, but it was a nice gesture all the same.”

It was at this point the community group thought a fundraiser would give the families the money to buy whatever they needed once they get back on their feet.

Maggie said the families were in tears when they were informed about the fundraiser.

She continued: “It was overwhelming for them. These people have lived in those homes for more than 25 years, so that’s been their whole life.

“So this is just something small we can do for them. It’s nice to see the village come together.”

Maggie also thanked the Asda Foundation for its support.

In the wake of the fire, members of the community team based at the Asda store in Downpatrick went to the village with various items worth £600, funded through an emergency grant from the Asda Foundation, to support families in need. 

“The Asda team was on the ball and one day after speaking with us about what they could do to help, they arrived the with everything we’d requested from pillows and socks to the all-important phone chargers,” she said.

“It was a huge help for the families. At times like this it’s hard to know where to turn, but from the moment Asda approached us and said they’d help, it was all plain sailing. Their input has been positive from start to finish.”

Linda Owens, the Downpatrick store’s community champion, worked with the Drumaness and District Community Association to coordinate the donation.

“As soon as I heard what had happened, I knew we had to do what we could to support members of our community,” she said.

“Thankfully no one was hurt, but it’s at times like this people need to know others are thinking of them.”

Linda explained the grant was quickly approved by the Asda Foundation, covering everything from shoes and clothes to kettles, toasters and phone chargers, key essentials that some of the people impacted found themselves without.

“The community around Drumaness has pulled together, which is wonderful to see, with more fundraising ongoing to help those affected,” she said.

“We’re just happy we were able to do our bit at this early stage but, of course, we will keep in touch and continue to help in any way we can.”