Burning and looting went on for three days and the blazes could be seen for miles. Lisburn was likened to "a bombarded town in France" during the First World War. Catholics were severely beaten, and a Catholic pub owner later died of gunshot wounds. A charred body was also found in the ruins of a factory. At least 1,000 of the town's Catholics fled. As a result of the violence, Lisburn was the first town to recruit special constables, who went on to become part of the Ulster Special Constabulary. After some of the special constables were charged with rioting, their colleagues threatened to resign, and they were not prosecuted.