November 14 1972: Two young children were burnt to death in the living room of their Belfast home last night only minutes after their mother had prepared them for bed.
Flames shooting from the ground floor of the house in Palmer Street, off Crumlin Road, prevented rescue attempts by neighbours.
The bodies of Samuel Brown (aged four) and his two-year-old brother, Stephen were found lying on a settee by firemen after the blaze had been brought under control.
They were the only children of Mr Samuel Brown and his wife Rita, who are in their twenties.
Early today Mrs Brown, who was next door when the fire started, was under sedation.
At the time of the outbreak her husband was in a nearby shop buying bedtime lollipops for the children.
A police spokesman early today emphasised that there was no doubt the fire being accidentally caused.
Mr Brown left the house to get lollipops while his wife was undressing the children for bed. They were in their pyjamas and ready to go upstairs when Mrs Brown remembered that she had to take a bottle of milk to the house next door to replace the one she had borrowed earlier in the day.
"She was in the house next door when she smelt something burning,’ a neighbour said. ‘She went out and screamed when she saw flames coming from her own home. There was no chance of getting into the house to get the boys. The place was already an inferno."
As neighbours held the weeping Mrs Brown two fire-fighting appliances turned out from nearby Ardoyne station.
"The house was well alight when we arrived," a Fire Brigade spokesman said.
The blaze was brought under control in just over fifteen minutes but it was too late to save the children.
The neighbour said a gas fire was lit in the living room when the outbreak occurred.
Mr Brown returned from the shop to find his home alight.
"Mr and Mrs Brown noticed a strong smell of gas in the house recently and reported it to the Corporation on many occasions that there was a leak," another neighbour said.
"Workmen came out to investigate but afterwards the smell was still there. When I saw the flames coming from the house I immediately thought to myself: 'That’s that leak'."
Forensic experts and Belfast Corporation officials are to carry out a thorough examination of the badly-damaged house later today.
Man shot in the head
A MAN who was found with a bullet wound in the head at Whitewell Road, Greencastle, Belfast late last night is believed to have been shot from a passing car.
He was rushed to hospital but early today there was still no report on his condition.