Staff evacuated

Three fire appliances, two from Lurgan and one from Portadown were tasked to the government office block at 3.30pm on Monday afternoon.

A NI Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said a gas alarm in the boiler house was activated.

They said: “Fire Crews isolated the gas supply as a precautionary measure and using a gas monitored found zero traces of gas.”

The iconic building close to Tesco Petrol station and Rushmere houses offices for the NI Planning Service, the NI Housing Executive, Land and Property Services, Roads Service and other government agencies.

Just last month Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland announced that consultants have been appointed to help with the potential redevelopment of a site in and around Marlborough House.