Pensioner has ‘no idea’ why Gweebara Park home targeted in arson attack | UK News

The daughter of a 69-year-old Londonderry woman whose front door was set alight in an arson attack has said she has “no idea” why her house was targeted.

The incident happened at 03:05 BST on Saturday in Gweebara Park, in the Foyle Springs area of Londonderry.

Ring doorbell footage from the property shows a man pouring an accelerant onto the front door and porch before setting it alight and running off.

Laura Brady said her mother had been asleep when the attack took place.

“My mummy would be a pretty light sleeper… she has a summer seat outside her bedroom window so she heard that move,” Ms Brady told News NI.

“That kind of startled her, so she woke up and she looked out her bedroom window at the side. The next thing there was just a big explosion.”

Ms Brady’s brother-in-law who lives nearby made his way to the house after hearing about the fire.

“The house was just totally filled with black smoke because the curtain at her front door had set alight as well. It was all coming inside,” Ms Brady said.

“He was able to open the door and get the curtain out and put most of the fire out. Within 10 minutes the police, ambulance and fire brigade were here,” she said.

She said her brother-in-law has been left with burns on his hands from dealing with the blaze.

“It was just absolutely shocking what happened,” Ms Brady said.

Ms Brady said her mother is “ok” but is “pretty shaken” and has “absolutely no idea why anybody would target her home”.

“My mummy has lived here 45 years and never a minute’s bother,” she said.

“It’s a pretty quiet street and everybody gets on really well. It’s just the absolute shock of why it happened.”

Ms Brady said it was potentially a case of mistaken identity as the culprit did not try to break in.

“He literally came and tried to set the whole front door on fire,” she added.

“I would just love to know his reasoning for why he would do that. I would love to ask him: ‘What was your intention? Why would you target my mother’s house?'”

The attacker was wearing a dark top with the hood up and dark tracksuit bottoms. He had his face covered.

Police are treating the attack as arson with intent to endanger life and have appealed for information.