Omagh Suspect Died In Blaze

Police are treating one of the victims of the Omagh fire tragedy as a prime suspect.

Arthur McElhill is suspected of setting the fire that killed him, his partner and their five children.

He died with Lorraine McGovern, and their children, Caroline, Sean, Bellina, Clodagh and James in a fire at Lammy Crescent on Tuesday.

Petrol had been scattered around the house and it had been set alight.

The bodies of the family of seven are expected to be removed from the ruins of their home later and forensic examinations of the scene continue.

Police said on Thursday that all seven deaths were being treated as murder and they would not be commenting on the specifics of the investigation.

A senior fire investigator is being flown in from England to assist with the investigation.

The eldest of the five children, Caroline, 13, attended the nearby Sacred Heart College.

The other four were Sean, 7, Bellina, 4, Clodagh ,19 months and James, who was nine months old.

Sean and Bellina were pupils at St Conor's Primary School, which was closed following the tragedy.

Chief Supt Norman Baxter, the police officer investigating the fire, said on Wednesday morning that the bodies of the McElhill family would not yet be taken from the house.

The fire service was first called to the end-terrace house at Lammy Crescent in the Brookmount estate just before 5am on Tuesday.

Neighbours who had put ladders up to first floor bedrooms were beaten back by the flames and it is understood the property was already well alight when fire fighters arrived.

The fire fighters with breathing apparatus were also beaten back by the flames. Deputy chief fire officer Louis Jones said: "In my 30 years of service, it has to be the largest loss of life in any house fire I have attended."

The fire was so intense that the roof collapsed and fire crews from Omagh called for back up from colleagues in Newtownstewart to deal with the blaze.

Meanwhile, Public Safety Minister, Michael McGimpsey said: “This is a terrible tragedy, and my deepest sympathies are with the friends and relations of this family.

“This fire has ripped the heart out of a family and has devastated the local community.

“It appears this is maybe the worst single case of fire deaths in recent times. It is particularly distressing that children appear to have lost their lives.”

The Minister added: “I must also commend the actions of the Fire Service and their attempts to save this family - I realise this was a traumatic and emotional ordeal for them.

“The Fire Service will now be investigating the cause of this fire. I would appeal to the public, especially in the run up to Christmas, to ensure they have smoke alarms fitted and working in their homes, that they have a good bedtime routine to prevent the risk of fire, and have an escape plan.”

(BMcC)