Woman is third person to die in home blaze in Northern Ireland in a week

An investigation is under way into a fire in a Fermanagh bungalow which claimed the life of a woman – the third fatal blaze in five days.

The victim was in her 70s and was pronounced dead at the scene in the Killynure Crescent estate in Enniskillen, after emergency crews were summoned just before 6pm on Thursday night.

Meanwhile, the funeral is due to take place today for the two other fatal fire victims of the week – Alec and Ann Easton, who died after a blaze at their home in Bangor on Monday.

They were parents of ex-DUP (now independent) MLA for North Down, Alex Easton.

Speaking to the News Letter on Friday, Bill Keery, a friend of Mr Easton and a fellow independent unionist on the local council, said there had been “unbelievable support” shown for the MLA and his family.

"I spoke to Alex yesterday,” he said.

"He was in good fettle. He's got over the initial shock of it. He's got a very brave face on it."

In an interview with the local paper the Co Down Spectator, Mr Easton has been quoted as saying: “We think they had been asleep and didn’t know much about it.

“But it was definitely an electrical fault...

“They had taken both of them outside to work on them and I kept getting conflicting reports that they had a pulse and it would get my hopes up...

“I had seen my dad the day before. The last conversation I had with him was about a packet of biscuits for my mum, as I did the shopping for them every week.”

Alec was a retired South African engineer, who lost both his legs to diabetes. Ann had suffered a “mini-stroke”, and had limited mobility. Both were in their 80s.

A service of thanksgiving for their lives will take place in Bangor Abbey at 11am today, with interment afterwards in St Michael’s Parish Churchyard, Sixmilecross.

Meanwhile the fire brigade has advised there has been a notable increase in chimney fires this year.

It said there were 15% more such blazes in December 2022 compared with December 2021, and advised that “if you’re planning to use a fire you haven’t used in a while, make sure a suitably-trained person services your chimney beforehand, use a fire guard, and have a carbon monoxide alarm in the same room”.