Neil Reid: Tributes pour in as man in 70's who died in Portglenone house blaze is named locally

The fire took hold around 8pm on Sunday when emergency services responded to reports of a blaze in the Mount Stafford Road area of the Co Antrim village.

​Two appliances from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) responded to the incident.

​The NIFRS said that a man in his 70s was rescued prior to the arrival of firefighters but later died at the scene. ​Another person was transferred to the care of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.

​A post on Photo's of Portglenone social media page said the community “was shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden death of Neil Reid from Mountstafford Road, Portglenone”.

​It adds that “Neil was highly thought of by all his friends, neighbours and the wider Portglenone community”.

​Tributes underneath the post say: “So sorry to hear of Neil’s passing, a lovely gentleman, sincere sympathy to you Elizabeth, Johnathan and all your family.”

“Sorry to hear that Neil has been called home, a lovely gentleman”.

“A true gentleman and best neighbour, Rest In Peace Neil”.

“A quiet, kind hearted gentleman. Very sorry to hear this sad news, thinking of all the family”.

​A death notice on Funeral Times said that Neil Reid was ‘called home (suddenly) on May 12 and was the “beloved husband of the late Kathleen, late of 2 Mountstafford Road, Portglenone”.

​He is also described as the ‘dearly loved father of Elizabeth and Jonathan’ and a devoted grandfather.

​The death notice adds that ‘after a private interment, a service of thanksgiving ... will be held in First Portglenone Presbyterian Church on Thursday 16th May at 2pm’.

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