A man his 50s has died and five firefighters have been injured following a fire at a farmhouse in Toomebridge.
The blaze broke out at a two storey detached house on Carlane Road last night (Wednesday) at around 8pm.
Firefighters carried the man down to the ground floor where he was treated at the scene. He was taken to Antrim Area Hospital but later died.
Five firefighters were injured and four sustained minor burns. They were treated at the scene by ambulance personnel. One required hospital treatment and was later discharged.
The fifth firefighter was taken to hospital with concussion due to fallen debris inside the property. He was kept overnight and has since been discharged.
A Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) spokesperson said the thoughts and sympathies of NIFRS are with the family and friends of the man who died.
Two fire appliances from Magherafelt Fire Station and one appliance from Antrim attended the incident.
“Firefighters encountered a severe fire on the first floor. Wearing breathing apparatus they entered the property and worked in intense heat and heavily smoke logged conditions to rescue a man in his 50s,” said a NIFRS spokesperson.
The spokesperson said he wanted to commend the breathing apparatus team for their valiant efforts in rescuing the man.
“The cause of the fire has not yet been determined and will be subject to investigation, in liaison with the PSNI. There was a smoke alarm fitted in the property and part of the investigation will consider if it sounded,” added the spokesperson.