Derry: Arson destroys art room at day centre for vulnerable adults
- Published
"The art therapy room used by our clients has been completely destroyed," a Western Trust spokeserson says
A centre that cares for vulnerable adults in Londonderry has been badly damaged in a deliberate fire, the Western Trust has said.
Melrose Day Centre and Rossdowney House, on the Rossdowney Road in the Waterside, were targeted in the arson.
"The art therapy room used by our clients has been completely destroyed," a Western Trust spokesperson said.
They added that 24 people were unable to attend the centre on Monday because of the fire.
The trust also said that a number of women and children's services, supporting families and young people, have been cancelled due to the damage.
The fire happened at Melrose Day Centre and Rossdowney House
Colleen Harkin, the trust's assistant director of community adult mental health services, said the loss of the art room would have a devastating impact on those who who used it.
"These are vulnerable service users who rely on coming to our day centre for support from staff and to engage with other service users and to take part in therapeutic activities," she said.
The head of policy, information and advocacy at Disability Action, Nuala Toman, said the fire has had a "devastating impact on the right to independent living for people who rely on these services".
"It is really important that services in these day centres are provided in a sustained and routine manner, and any change or disruption has a negative impact on people who are reliant on them," she said.
The Western Trust said this is the second deliberate fire at health and social care facilities in recent weeks in the city, while there have also been a number of deliberate fires in the Waterside area.
About 40 firefighters attended a deliberate blaze at the derelict Stradreagh Hospital site on 5 April.
Two more fires at derelict buildings were also believed to have been started deliberately on 10 April.
One blaze was at an old high school building on Drumahoe Road and the second was at a derelict property on the Glenshane Road.
The police have told BBC News NI that they do not believe the blaze on Monday is connected to other cases of arson in the Waterside over the past month.
Melrose Day Centre will open again to its service users on Tuesday, the trust has confirmed.