A man in his 60s has died after a fire broke out at a flat in the Bloomfield Park area of Galliagh, Londonderry, on Wednesday. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) was alerted at 15.39 BST, and police say a post-mortem examination will be carried out as part of ongoing enquiries into the cause of the blaze.
What happened at the scene?
NIFRS confirmed that five fire appliances were sent to tackle the flames. According to the Irish News, the response included two appliances from Northland, two from Crescent Link, and an additional appliance and command support unit from Strabane. The fire was brought under control and extinguished by 6.15pm on Wednesday, though the investigation into how it started is continuing.
The same report cited group commander Geoff Somerville as saying the alarm was raised at around 3.40pm, a timing slightly at odds with the 15.39 BST call-out time given by other sources. Separately, the Belfast Telegraph reported that one person was rescued from the property after the fire took hold.
Who else responded to the incident?
Ambulance crews and police officers also attended the scene, and a police cordon remained in place into Thursday. A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) said a rapid response paramedic and an ambulance officer were dispatched, but confirmed that no one was taken from the scene by ambulance.
Does this fit a wider pattern of fires in the area?
The Bloomfield Park fire follows other serious fire incidents investigated by police in Londonderry in recent months. A blaze at a derelict building in the city in June 2026 was treated by detectives as suspected arson, according to an earlier report on that investigation. A separate fire in Derry in July 2025 was also treated as arson with intent to endanger life, according to a police appeal for information issued at the time.
What happens next?
Police have said enquiries into the exact cause of the Bloomfield Park fire remain ongoing, with officers continuing to examine the scene. Investigators are awaiting the results of the post-mortem examination, which is expected to form a key part of establishing how the man died.
- A man in his 60s died following a flat fire in Bloomfield Park, Galliagh, Londonderry, on Wednesday.
- NIFRS was called at 15.39 BST and sent five appliances, including units from Northland, Crescent Link and Strabane.
- The fire was extinguished by 6.15pm, with one person reportedly rescued from the property.
- A police cordon remained at the scene on Thursday as enquiries continued.
- A post-mortem examination is due to take place to help determine the cause of death.
