A fire in Bangor, Co Down, which killed a woman in her 30s is being treated as suspicious, reports Suzanne Breen, Senior Northern Correspondent. The blaze was discovered at a flat in Ballynoe Gardens in the Kilcooley area early yesterday.
It was the first fire-related death since the eight-day strike by fire-fighters began last Friday. The alarm was raised at 2.15 a.m. and the flat was already well alight when police and military fire crews arrived a short time later.
Striking fire-fighters, who were contacted at their bases in Bangor and Newtownards, left their picket line to go to the scene. They discovered the woman's body. Her name has not yet been released.
A Fire Service spokesman said that the blaze was being treated as suspicious and an investigation had begun.
The woman's body was found in a cupboard. A post-mortem examination has been carried out, but the results have not been disclosed.
Police later arrested a man for questioning about the fire.
Derry man faces 16 terrorism charges
A 38-year-old voluntary community worker from the Waterside area of Derry appeared in court in Limavady yesterday charged with committing 16 terrorist offences in a 15-month period between June 2001 and September of this year.
Among the charges against Mark John Pilling, Heron Way, are one of attempted murder, three of conspiracy to murder, four of possessing firearms, one of possessing three pipe-bombs and one of membership of the UDA.
A PSNI detective inspector told the court that the defendant made no reply to each of the 16 charges.
The defendant was remanded in custody to appear before Derry Magistrates' Court via a video link on December 19th.