A widow in her late 50s died in a fire at her home at Lilliput, Dysart, Co Westmeath last night.
The fire was noticed by a neighbour who raised the alarm shortly after 7 p.m. Firemen from Mullingar were on the scene in minutes but the house was totally engulfed in flames when they arrived, a Garda spokesman said. They recovered the woman's body from the house which was completely destroyed.