A fire station gutted in an overnight blaze was not fitted with smoke alarms, officials confirmed today.

The alert was raised at Rathfriland fire station in Co Down, Northern Ireland, at 4.15 am, but the blaze had already taken hold.

The station was destroyed, as were two fire appliances at the building, and an investigation into the cause is now under way.

The authorities confirmed the building did not have a smoke alarm, though they denied this was unusual and repeated their recommendation that the public fit alarms in their homes.

Fire service area commander Don McKay said the local fire crew could only watch as their base was gutted by the blaze.

Support arrived from outside the area and 20 firefighters with four appliances battled with the fire but could not save the station.

"It just goes to show that fire can attack anybody," said Mr McKay.

"We have measures in place to make sure that we have adequate fire cover in the area.

"So the local community need not worry - a fire appliance will arrive if they need one."

The fire service, meanwhile, confirmed the building did not have a smoke alarm.

"There was no smoke alarm fitted at Rathfriland Fire Station. The primary purpose of a smoke alarm is to alert the occupants at the early stage of fire and give people early warning to plan their escape," they said.

"Smoke alarms do not prevent fires.

"Rathfriland Fire Station is a Retained Fire Station with no sleeping accommodation.

"There would therefore be no-one in the building overnight to be alerted to the fire by a smoke alarm."

They added: "Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) does not fit smoke alarms inside Fire Appliance Bays as they are unsuitable due to the fumes of Fire Appliances that would activate the smoke alarm.

"All NIFRS Fire Stations and buildings are subject to workplace risk assessments.

"NIFRS would like to take this opportunity to remind the public of the importance of having a smoke alarm fitted in their homes to provide early warning of a fire giving people time to escape."

The fire station in the rural Rathfriland area was empty when the blaze started.

Mr McKay told BBC Northern Ireland the incident was a little embarrassing, but said it was not the first time a fire station had been damaged by fire and said it underlined how anyone could fall victim.