Man dies following house fire in Ballymena

A man in his 40s has died following a house fire in the Waring Street area of Ballymena, police have confirmed.

Emergency services were alerted to the incident shortly before 9.45am on Friday 26 December. Police officers attended the scene alongside colleagues from the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS), but the man was sadly pronounced dead at the property.

In a statement, police said enquiries into the circumstances surrounding the fire are ongoing. At this stage, the death is not being treated as suspicious.

The Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service confirmed that firefighters were first called to reports of the fire at 9.30am, with two appliances from Ballymena Fire Station dispatched to the scene.

A NIFRS spokesperson said:

“The thoughts and sympathies of Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service are with the loved ones of a man, aged 48, who died following a house fire at Waring Street, Ballymena.”

The spokesperson added:

“Firefighters were called to reports of a house fire at 9.30am this morning. Two appliances from Ballymena Fire Station attended the incident. The cause of the fire is under investigation.”

The incident has cast a shadow over the Harryville community, with emergency services once again highlighting the devastating and often sudden impact of domestic fires, particularly during the winter period when households rely more heavily on heating and electrical appliances.

In the wake of the tragedy, NIFRS issued a renewed safety appeal to the public, urging residents to take simple but vital precautions in their homes.

The spokesperson said:

“Please consider our STOP message: Do you have smoke alarms? Test them weekly. Check the obvious fire dangers in your home. Plan an escape route.”

Police have not released the man’s name, and no further details are available at this time. Investigations into the cause of the fire remain ongoing.