The Police Service of Northern Ireland can confirm that two people have died following fires at residential properties today, Friday, 12th December.

Police were notified of a fire the Queen Victoria Gardens area of north Belfast at around 11.00am.

Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service extinguished the blaze but, sadly, a man aged in his 20s was pronounced dead at the scene.

The second fire occurred in the Abbey Park area of Bangor, at around 12.30pm. The fire was again extinguished by Fire & Rescue Service, but a woman aged in her 50s was pronounced dead at the scene.

Enquiries are ongoing into the circumstances surrounding both fires; however at this stage, it is not believed that the deaths are suspicious.