Baby Dies In Antrim Fire

A baby girl has died after a weekend blaze tore through her family home in Antrim.

Ten-month-old Anna Lee Clelland Harkin lost her life during the fire, which broke out around 7pm on Saturday night.

The girl was declared dead at the scene.

Her mother, three other children and a man managed to escape the flames at the Springfarm estate house.

The man and a five-year-old boy were treated for the effects of breathing in smoke.

Orkney Street neighbours watched on in horror as friends attempted to rescue the family.

Eyewitness Leon Lambert told the BBC how the thick smoke surrounding the house had hampered efforts.

He said: "We ran up, and I tried to get up the stairs, but the smoke was that thick we couldn't even make it half way up. I tried it again and I still couldn't get up.

"I got up to the window, opened the window where the fire was just to let some smoke out, to see if it would help any.

"My mum's boyfriend was at the other window where the baby was, he was trying to get that open. It just wouldn't happen though, the smoke was too thick."

So far police have not suggested there was any foul play surrounding the incident.

Adrian Watson, Deputy Antrim Mayor, visited the estate.

Mr Watson told the BBC: "Friends and neighbours of this family are totally devastated for what's happened.

"There's a stunned silence in the street, and I don't think words could describe what this young mother and her family are going through."

The blaze started in an upstairs back bedroom in the house, but it is not known how it was ignited.

After all the other family members managed to escape the blaze witnesses said they stood in the back yard of the house, frantically shouting for help after the fire broke out.

The badly-burnt house was a poignant scene of tragedy yesterday - yet all the hallmarks of the everyday life of a young family remained — a trampoline in the backyard, a small tent in the front garden and toddlers' coats hanging on pegs in the back hall.

The family's next door neighbour, who did not want to be named, said his wife's son rushed into the house on Saturday evening, saying he thought that next door's house was on fire.

"I rushed out and saw smoke pouring out of the top window...I ran round to the back door and Ursula was standing in the garden, screaming and shouting: "My baby's upstairs."

(PR/NS)(BMcC)