Bold tragedy in Omagh: a historic fire could have been prevented, says heritage group.
Image: Kenneth Allen/Geograph
The Omagh Heritage Forum has condemned suspected arsonists after a fire tore through a historic building in Omagh.
Crevenagh House, a structure dating back to the 1800s, had been left derelict in recent years. On Sunday evening, a large blaze at the Crevenagh Road site in County Tyrone required the efforts of 42 firefighters to bring it under control.
Police indicated the fire was believed to be started intentionally, and investigators are pursuing the inquiry.
The Omagh Heritage Forum conveyed deep sadness and anger over the incident, stressing that the building once linked Omagh’s architectural and social history.
In its statement, the forum noted that Crevenagh House stood for more than two centuries as a reflection of the town’s shared past, with strong ties to the notable Auchinleck and Darling families. Its destruction is described as a serious blow to the region’s cultural fabric.
Vincent Brogan, chair of the Omagh Heritage Forum, expressed the community’s grief and highlighted the frustration that the fire occurred despite prior warnings about the property’s ongoing vulnerabilities. He called the outcome a tragedy that should have been avoided.
The forum urged authorities to promptly assess the site and explore ways to recover a constructive future from the disaster. It also suggested that the remaining land could be safeguarded and repurposed as green space to enrich the urban landscape.
BBC News NI has reached out to the Department for Communities and the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council for comment.
