Families across Belfast are counting the devastating cost of a night of violence that left homes damaged, residents displaced and entire communities shaken. Among those caught up in the chaos was one family with a two-month-old baby, forced to flee as fires tore through residential streets following disorder that erupted after Monday night's knife attack. For some residents, the destruction was total. Jamie Corrie stood outside the charred remains of the east Belfast home where he had lived for 13 years and described the heartbreak of watching everything he owned disappear in flames. His house on Lendrick Street was destroyed after a car belonging to "foreign nationals" living next door was set alight, he said. By the time firefighters arrived, Corrie said the blaze had already taken hold. "I told them before they were lighting the car, I said 'this is my property'," he recalled. "See standing there watching your house get burnt… that's a feeling I'll never get over." The emotional toll was written across the street as residents surveyed the wreckage left behind. Corrie said he was "gutted" and struggled to come to terms with losing possessions built up over more than a decade. "There's stuff in there that's sentimental, can't be replaced, that you'll not get again," he said. Despite his anger over the original attack that sparked tensions, he questioned the violence that followed. "What does this resolve? What does this actually do? Burning cars out, wrecking your own community and now one of their own has just lost their home." Thankfully, he said, his children were not inside the property when the fire broke out. Nearby, 19-year-old Yura, part of a Ukrainian family living on the same street, described a terrifying escape as flames spread through the area. "My neighbour's house was set on fire," she said. "So, my front door caught the fire a bit. It had to be kicked out to stop the fire because it was about to go in the house." Yura said she fled through the back door with her dog while trying to help rescue a neighbour's trapped pet. "I was with my dog at the house, so I had to escape through the back door," she said. "My neighbour's dog was trapped in the house so we were also trying to break into their house to get the dog." She eventually found refuge with nearby friends who gave her a place to stay for the night. Elsewhere, residents spoke of fear and uncertainty as violence spread across affected neighbourhoods. Anselme Shima, who has lived in east Belfast for 13 years, said he was horrified by what unfolded. "I didn't know what I can do to protect my children," he said. The unrest has also sparked concerns among healthcare workers from overseas communities. Biji Jose, a senior nurse and member of the Northern Ireland Indian Nurses Forum, said colleagues were increasingly worried about their safety. Having lived in Northern Ireland for 23 years, she warned that some healthcare staff could consider leaving. "At the minute, I can see very anxious faces and too much worry about their families, children, future jobs, insecurity about walking around the street freely like before," she said. Jose stressed that international healthcare workers were helping address workforce shortages and reduce waiting lists. Another resident originally from India said the violence had convinced him to leave Northern Ireland altogether. "We're leaving right now," he told BBC News NI. The man, who did not wish to be named, described the disorder as terrifying. "It was horrible. It was like a war zone." "Everything was burning," he said, adding that people remained inside their homes because they were too frightened to go outside. Businesses were also caught up in the unrest. Ozer Soy-Suren, co-owner of a Turkish barber shop targeted during disorder in Ballyclare, County Antrim, said staff spent Wednesday cleaning up the damage. The business has operated for 20 years and had closed early because workers were aware protests were planned. Despite the attack, Soy-Suren said local people had rallied around the shop and offered support. Community leaders also voiced alarm. Pastor Jack McKee said some of those affected were members of his church who had lived locally for decades. "They're good Christian people and they're getting put out just because they're black," he said. Rev Brian Anderson described scenes in east Belfast as a "community out of control". He compared the attacks to events he witnessed during his childhood when Catholic families were forced from their homes. "The same thing was happening to people here," he said. "40 years later, people just living, wanting to contribute to our society... because they were different, being burnt of their houses and being removed." "It was a chilling echo to the past." The disorder followed the knife attack that triggered both peaceful protests and violent unrest. Hadi Alodid, a 30-year-old originally from Sudan, appeared in court charged with attempted murder over the attack, which left the victim with serious injuries including the loss of an eye. Meanwhile, the family of victim Stephen Ogilvie issued a plea for calm, urging people to embrace "peaceful protest as the only way forward". As communities begin clearing debris and assessing the damage, many residents now face the difficult task of rebuilding their homes, businesses and sense of security after a night that left lasting scars. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cevl9j9y8dmo
