Separate grave for father of house fire victims in the North

The father suspected of starting the house fire which killed him, his partner and their five children is to be buried in a separate grave, it was disclosed today.

Requiem Mass for Arthur McElhill, 39, and the six other victims, will take place in Omagh on Saturday.

But after the service ends at the town’s Catholic Sacred Heart Church, he will be buried later in Ederney, Co Fermanagh while the funeral of his partner Lorraine McGovern, 30 and the five children takes place at Corlough, Co Cavan.

Police are treating the deaths of all seven as murder and even though detectives have not confirmed Mr McElhill as a suspect, the major line of investigation being followed is that he used petrol to start the fierce blaze which swept through their end of terrace home at Lammy Crescent on November 13.