Family 'crushed' by blaze claims

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The brother of a man who died along with his family in a fire in County Tyrone has said speculation about the deaths had been devastating.

Arthur McElhill, Lorraine McGovern and their five children died in the blaze at their home in Omagh on 13 November.

Although he has not been named as a suspect by police, Mr McElhill is believed to have started the fire.

Speaking publicly for the first time, his brother Cathal said some claims had "crushed" their "broken hearts."

"I am just disappointed at how such a tragedy can be taken and made into something that is beyond all words," he told the BBC's Nolan Show.

"We've had such a great loss and what has been done with the stories, it hasn't made us grieve any differently.

We're not dealing with it, it's just day by day hour by hour Cathal McElhillBrother

"It's just made it a lot harder. You've took broken hearts and they have been crushed. That's the way I feel and that's the way I know the rest of my brothers and sisters and my mother and father feel."

Police said the blaze was started at the base of the stairs and that it could not have been ignited from outside the house.

The fire killed Caroline, 13, Sean, seven, Bellina, four, Clodagh, 19 months and nine-month-old James.

The whole family was killed in the fire on 13 November

Mr McElhill said the rest of his family were finding it hard to cope with the tragedy.

"My thoughts are that I'll never see those wee children and my brother ever again. What's written about them is just unbelievable," he said.

"We're not dealing with it, it's just day by day hour by hour. You are waiting to see what else they will put out on the news."

Mr McElhill said he had visited the family a few days before the blaze at their Lammy Crescent home.

He said memories of them would always remain in his heart.

"The children were jolly, they were jumping up and down. They were just being the children they always were, happy-go-lucky children and he and Lorraine were happy-go-lucky people.

"There was no different in any other day than that day I went down. None, whatsoever."