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28/04/2009
Casualties Recover After Separate Blazes
A total of seven people have been treated for smoke inhalation and another one for burns after house fires in Derry and Armagh city.
Five of the victims were treated at the scene of the blaze at a house in Abbey Park, Armagh, just before 2am this morning.
Earlier, two people were treated for smoke inhalation and one for burns to the hands, after a fire at a house in Sandringham Drive, Londonderry.
A NI Fire and Rescue Service spokesman told the BBC earlier: "Both of these calls highlight the importance of having and maintaining a working smoke alarm.
"Had these smoke alarms not operated and the two families escaped, we could have been reporting a double tragedy."
However, it is believed both of the fires started accidentally.
Meanwhile, the emergency service itself has been in the news today too as Sinn Féin launched a cross-border campaign for what it calls 'radical reform' of the fire service.
A joint statement from Cllr Paddy Butcher on Limavady Borough Council in Co Londonderry and Cllr John Brady from Bray Town Council has demanded an independent enquiry to "revisit the circumstances into the deaths of fire fighters Joe McCloskey Brian Murray and Mark O'Shaughnessy".
Fire fighter McCloskey, 50, died on 2nd November 2003 after a fire at the Gorteen House Hotel in Limavady on Halloween night.
Fire fighters Murray, 46, and O'Shaughnessy, 26, lost their lives during an attempt to bring a warehouse fire under control in Bray Co Wicklow on September 26th 2007.
The families of all three fire fighters have been in constant contact and are planning to hold another meeting in Limavady.
The matter is expected to be explored further on the BBC 1 Northern Ireland programme Spotlight at 10.35pm on Tuesday night.
See: Fire Service Under Fire
(BMcC/JM)
Five of the victims were treated at the scene of the blaze at a house in Abbey Park, Armagh, just before 2am this morning.
Earlier, two people were treated for smoke inhalation and one for burns to the hands, after a fire at a house in Sandringham Drive, Londonderry.
A NI Fire and Rescue Service spokesman told the BBC earlier: "Both of these calls highlight the importance of having and maintaining a working smoke alarm.
"Had these smoke alarms not operated and the two families escaped, we could have been reporting a double tragedy."
However, it is believed both of the fires started accidentally.
Meanwhile, the emergency service itself has been in the news today too as Sinn Féin launched a cross-border campaign for what it calls 'radical reform' of the fire service.
A joint statement from Cllr Paddy Butcher on Limavady Borough Council in Co Londonderry and Cllr John Brady from Bray Town Council has demanded an independent enquiry to "revisit the circumstances into the deaths of fire fighters Joe McCloskey Brian Murray and Mark O'Shaughnessy".
Fire fighter McCloskey, 50, died on 2nd November 2003 after a fire at the Gorteen House Hotel in Limavady on Halloween night.
Fire fighters Murray, 46, and O'Shaughnessy, 26, lost their lives during an attempt to bring a warehouse fire under control in Bray Co Wicklow on September 26th 2007.
The families of all three fire fighters have been in constant contact and are planning to hold another meeting in Limavady.
The matter is expected to be explored further on the BBC 1 Northern Ireland programme Spotlight at 10.35pm on Tuesday night.
See: Fire Service Under Fire
(BMcC/JM)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A cloudy day with outbreaks of mainly light rain at times, although there may be the odd heavier burst. Driest in the south and east during the afternoon. Moderate southwesterly winds. Maximum temperature 11 °C.Tonight:Staying cloudy throughout the evening and overnight period with a little rain or drizzle at times. Mild overnight with light winds. Minimum temperature 7 °C.
