The deaths of an elderly couple who were overcome by smoke during a fire in their Belfast home yesterday bring to 14 the number of people to have died in house fires in the North so far this year. The pensioners, Mr John McGivern (73) and his wife, Jean (67), died while sleeping in the back bedroom of their home on Rydalmere Street in the Village area of south Belfast. The fire broke out shortly before 4.30 a.m. A smoke alarm in the house was not working.
The cause of the fire was still being investigated last night, but was believed to be accidental. Meanwhile, the assistant divisional officer of the fire service, Mr Arthur Plumpton, urged householders to ensure that smoke detectors were working properly.