Two die fleeing housefire

A man and woman died in a desperate attempt to escape a house fire today.

Their bodies were found lying just behind the front door of a bungalow in Derry.

Four firefighters broke into the end terrace property at Cashel Hill Park after a neighbour raised the alarm.

A forensic examination of the scene will be carried out today, but it is understood the blaze started in one of the two bedrooms at around 3.30am.

District Commander Willie Lynch said the dense smoke would have overwhelmed the victims, both thought to be in their 40s.

“Gases given off go for the nervous system and you just collapse,” he explained.

“You could be making your way to the door and thinking 'I can make this', but all of a sudden the lights go out. It hits you that quick.

“The man and woman were dead when our firefighters found them. They had definitely been trying to escape.”

A smoke alarm had been fitted in the house but it was unclear whether it had gone off.

No one else was in the property, where the woman who died is understood to have lived alone.

Mr Lynch added: “Until we carry out a thorough investigation, we cannot be certain how it started, but one of the theories we will be looking at was this was an accidental fire. It’s a tragedy to have another fatal fire so early in the year.

“You just don’t know what you’re waking up to in this job.”