Elderly man dies after oil tank catches fire in Co Down

Blaze spread to bungalow where 91-year-old lived in early hours of this morning

The PSNI is investigating the cause of a fire at a bungalow in Carryduff overnight.
The PSNI is investigating the cause of a fire at a bungalow in Carryduff overnight.

A 91-year-old man has died in a house fire in Co Down.

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service received a call shortly before 1am this morning after an oil tank caught fire in a garage at Thorndale Park in Carryduff.

A spokesman said the fire quickly spread to another oil tank, which ruptured causing a nearby detached bungalow to catch fire.

Firefighters rescued the 91-year-old man from the house, and CPR was carried out, but the man died at the scene.

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Seven units of the fire brigade and around 40 firefighters attended the scene, which was extinguished by 5am.

The PSNI is investigating the cause of the fire, but a spokesman said the circumstances are not believed to be suspicious.