Woman is rescued from flat fire

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A woman has been rescued from a fire at a flat in north Belfast.

Fire crews were called to the property at Queen Victoria Gardens in Fortwilliam at about 0045 GMT on Wednesday.

A Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said the fire was being treated as suspicious.

The woman was treated for the effects of breathing in smoke. "No smoke alarms were fitted in the property," said the spokesman.

Graham Lowry, assistant group commander of the Fire and Rescue Service, said a neighbour raised the alarm.

"He was alerted by thick black smoke coming out of the flat," he said.

"There were no working smoke alarms in the area, so it was fortunate that he had noticed the smoke.

"He went into the flat and tried to extinguish the fire himself using a bucket of water, but he was beaten back by the thick, heavy, black smoke.

"He then went to his own flat and removed his own children out and took them to a place of safety and called the Fire Service."

The fire officer said the woman in a flat above did not need to go to hospital.

"The fire is being treated as suspicious and the scene has been handed over to the police for further examination."