A man in his 60s has died following a fire at a flat in Londonderry. Let me walk you through what we know about what happened and how emergency services responded.
The emergency call was first logged at 15:39 BST on Wednesday, alerting the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) to a property in Bloomfield Park.
Emergency responders arrived in force to tackle the blaze. Five fire appliances were dispatched to the scene, with firefighters equipped with breathing apparatus deploying three hose reel jets and one main jet to bring the flames under control.
According to the fire service, the incident was brought to a close and dealt with by 18:16 BST that evening.
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) also attended the scene. A spokesperson for the service confirmed that a rapid response paramedic and an ambulance officer were dispatched to the address, but no patients were transported from the property.
Police officers attended alongside ambulance crews, and a police cordon remained in place at the Bloomfield Park property on Thursday. Police have stated that a post-mortem examination will take place, and officers remain at the scene as their enquiries continue.
If you are wondering what caused the blaze, that is something we do not know yet. The NIFRS has confirmed that the cause of the fire remains under active investigation.
The news has deeply affected the surrounding neighbourhood. Sinn Féin councillor Sandra Duffy said the entire community of Galliagh was left "shocked and stunned" by the tragedy.
Paying tribute to the victim, Councillor Duffy said: "He was so kind-hearted, the local community are so sad. We are sending all our love and support to his family. My heart is sore for them."
An SDLP MP also extended condolences to the man's loved ones, saying: "Losing a loved one in such tragic circumstances is unimaginable, and I know the local community will support his family and those closest to him in the days and weeks ahead."
The MP also acknowledged the efforts of the first responders: "They do an incredibly difficult job, often in the most challenging circumstances, and our community relies on them at moments like this." He added: "My thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time. I pay tribute to all those emergency workers who attended this terrible incident and ask that anyone with any information pass it on to the PSNI."
The NIFRS has likewise shared its thoughts and sympathies with the man's family. With police enquiries and fire service investigations still active, I'll be following this one — check back for updates.








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