Ballymena: Northern Ireland town hit by double tragedy after child dies in house fire

‘There’s a real numbness within this community after the death of this young girl tonight’, councillor says

Emergency services attend the scene following the death of a girl in a house fire in Ballykeel (Twitter/@qnewsdesk)

A child has died in a house fire in Ballymena in the second fatal tragedy to have struck the town in 24 hours.

Fire and rescue personnel attended the scene in the Staffa Drive area of Ballykeel on Wednesday evening, but were unable to save the child.

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) added that one person was taken to Antrim Area Hospital for treatment following the blaze.

The child’s death came hours after the suspected murder of a 33-year-old man in the area.

Councillor Rodney Quigley told local media "What I have heard is there has been a fatality, and a 12 year old girl has lost her life in a house fire.

A horrible day for Ballymena and the Ballykeel area as a whole. 

“As if this morning wasn’t bad enough with the news that we had, we didn’t think we’d be standing here with another tragic incident…there’s a real numbness within this community after the death of this young girl tonight.”

Democratic Unionist Stormont assembly member Mervyn Storey said: "This is indeed a tragedy.

"No one can begin to imagine the grief the family is going through and they will need all the support and comfort the local community and further afield can give."

Her passing came just hours after police launched a murder enquiry in the area after a 33-year-old man, identified as Donald Fraser Rennie was found dead in a nearby flat on Crebilly Road having been beaten to death. 

Two men, aged 29 and 33, have since been arrested. The two incidents are not thought to be related.

Following the passing of Mr Rennie, Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell said his thoughts are with the victim's family and his fiancee at this very sad and difficult time.

"At this stage I believe that Donald was the victim of a vicious, sustained and violent beating which resulted in his death.

"I am appealing to anyone who has information that could assist with the investigation to contact us."