Police stayed at the scene of a fire at the former Corpus Christi School in Belfast's Beechmount area after it broke out overnight on Thursday. Eight fire appliances and more than 50 firefighters responded to control the blaze. Residents received advice to keep windows and doors closed during the incident.

The fire affected six separate classrooms in the building, which closed in 2019 after merging with St Rose's High School and Christian Brothers School to create All Saints College. Local residents and officials described repeated vandalism and anti-social behaviour at the site in recent years.

SDLP councillor Paul Doherty called for a long-term solution to address ongoing issues at the site. He noted concerns over smoke and potential asbestos particles from the fire posing risks to nearby residents. Doherty mentioned efforts to repurpose the building for a new school through the Department of Education, which have not advanced, and a rejected proposal for temporary use by a local group.

Doherty highlighted dangers to children as young as nine or ten accessing the site by climbing fences and rooftops. He stressed the need for urgent action to prevent further damage or loss of life.

Seán Doherty of Beechmount Residents' Collective urged owners to secure the building or assign it meaningful community use. He pointed to occasional TV filming but mostly dormant and unsecured conditions attracting trespassers, including those filming social media videos. The group has raised concerns for years without sufficient response.