An investigation is continuing to establish the cause of a fire in Derry in which an elderly man died.
The victim, whose name had not been released last night, died at the scene after emergency services removed him from the house at Earhart Park shortly before 7.20am yesterday.
A spokesman for the PSNI said the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service was called to the scene after the blaze broke out in an upstairs bedroom of the house. He said four other people managed to escape from the house. All four were taken to Altnagelvin but it is understood they were not seriously injured.
“It was reported that one male aged in his 50s, one woman aged in her 50s, one woman aged in her 40s and one woman aged in her 20s were removed from the property. Tragically, one man aged in his 80s was pronounced dead at the scene,” the spokesman said.
Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue (NIFRS) district commander, Andrew Russell described the incident as a “horrendous ordeal”.
Mr Russell said: “The fire was well developed throughout the first floor of the property and they (fire crews) had to carry out a search operation. We’d like to pass our sincerest condolences to the family members.”
The NIFRS spokesman said the fire was brought under control by 10.30am.
