Two on-call firefighters have been suspended after they were caught on live television brawling with each other during last week's unrest in Belfast, which followed a knife attack. The incident occurred while the pair were supposed to be tackling a vehicle fire in Newtownabbey.
Live TV Footage Captures the Scuffle
A Sky News helicopter filmed the two crew members shoving each other twice before a stunned colleague intervened to separate them. The altercation took place at a Department for Infrastructure site near the Sandyknowes roundabout, which had been targeted by arsonists.
A source close to the individuals downplayed the incident, telling Belfast Live that they were "best mates" and that the shoving was nothing more than "banter" between the pair, insisting they were just "messing about."
Suspension and Investigation
After extinguishing the fire, the crew returned to the station and were informed that the shoving had been captured on television, sources added. The pair were also asked to provide statements between attending calls.
Both were reportedly told they had been suspended on full pay when returning to the station for their weekly training session on Thursday evening, June 11. They were then asked to hand back their pagers and were escorted from the premises.
A Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) spokesperson said: "We do not comment on individual employee matters." The Fire Brigades Union has been approached for comment.
