Man dies following fire in flat

A man in his 60s has died following a fire at a flat in Londonderry.

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) was called to the blaze in the Bloomfield Park area of Galliagh at 15.39 BST on Wednesday.

Ambulance crews and police also attended and a police cordon remained in place on Thursday.

A post-mortem examination will take place, police said, adding officers remain at the scene with enquiries into the fire ongoing.

Foyle MP Colum Eastwood said there is a "real sense of shock and sadness" in the local community following the man's death.

"Losing a loved one in such tragic circumstances is unimaginable, and I know the local community will support his family and those closest to him in the days and weeks ahead," the SDLP MP said.

He also paid tribute to the emergency services.

"They do an incredibly difficult job, often in the most challenging circumstances, and our community relies on them at moments like this," he said.

Sinn Féin councillor Sandra Duffy said the entire community of Galliagh was "shocked and stunned".

The victim, Duffy said, would "do anything for anyone".

"He was so kind-hearted, the local community are so sad. We are sending all our love and support to his family. My heart is sore for them," she said.

NIFRS said five fire appliances were sent to the scene.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) said they dispatched a rapid response paramedic and an ambulance officer to the incident, but no one was taken from the scene.