An elderly woman has died in a house fire in Northern Ireland.
The victim, believed to be in her 70s, was found unconscious in the burning house on the outskirts of Derry. Firemen wearing breathing masks searched the property at Gleneagles just before 1am after neighbours alerted them to the woman inside.
District Commander Willy Lynch said: "When we arrived the bungalow was well alight, with flames coming through the roof.
"We were told an elderly lady lived in there and they hadn't seen her come out.
"Once we found her in the living room she was removed immediately to fresh air. There was only a faint pulse and no breathing so resuscitation was started immediately with the help of neighbours until the Ambulance Service arrived."
The woman, who has not been named, was taken to Altnagelvin Hospital in the city where she was later pronounced dead.
Fire Brigade investigators and police have started examining the house, a third of which was gutted, in a bid to find out how the blaze started.
Meanwhile, a man was rescued from a fire in north Belfast after a neighbour raised the alarm. Firefighters who forced their way into the property in the Oldpark area found the 52-year-old in an upstairs room. He was treated for smoke inhalation.
PA