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| Annaclone farm fire: Man's body is found after search | Annaclone farm fire: Man's body is found after search |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Police searching for an 82-year-old man feared dead in a weekend house fire in County Down have recovered a body. | Police searching for an 82-year-old man feared dead in a weekend house fire in County Down have recovered a body. |
| The fire broke out at a farm at Ballynafern Road at about 07:18 GMT on Saturday and gutted the farmhouse. | The fire broke out at a farm at Ballynafern Road at about 07:18 GMT on Saturday and gutted the farmhouse. |
| Efforts to find the pensioner were put on hold at the weekend amid concerns about the safety of the building. | Efforts to find the pensioner were put on hold at the weekend amid concerns about the safety of the building. |
| Part of the first floor of the farmhouse collapsed, making it dangerous to enter the building. | |
| Officers confirmed that they recovered a man's body from the property on Monday afternoon. | Officers confirmed that they recovered a man's body from the property on Monday afternoon. |
| Insp Nigel Graham said: "The cause of the fire is still being investigated but is not believed to be suspicious at this time. | Insp Nigel Graham said: "The cause of the fire is still being investigated but is not believed to be suspicious at this time. |
| "Our thoughts are with the family at this most difficult time." | "Our thoughts are with the family at this most difficult time." |
| South Down MLA Jim Wells said the missing man used a wheelchair. | South Down MLA Jim Wells said the missing man used a wheelchair. |
| Six fire appliances were called to the scene on Saturday and four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus went into the house and used thermal imaging equipment to try to find the pensioner. | Six fire appliances were called to the scene on Saturday and four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus went into the house and used thermal imaging equipment to try to find the pensioner. |
| The fire was put out at about 15:24 GMT on Saturday but the search was postponed for safety reasons. | The fire was put out at about 15:24 GMT on Saturday but the search was postponed for safety reasons. |
| On Monday, emergency crews resumed the search and the body was found by police officers. | On Monday, emergency crews resumed the search and the body was found by police officers. |
| Independent South Down assembly member John McCallister told the BBC the fire had shocked the entire community. | Independent South Down assembly member John McCallister told the BBC the fire had shocked the entire community. |
| "We live just a few fields away and as soon as we got up on Saturday morning, we could see a huge fire over the fields," he said. | "We live just a few fields away and as soon as we got up on Saturday morning, we could see a huge fire over the fields," he said. |
| "I have known the family all of my life, it is just a tragedy for them." | "I have known the family all of my life, it is just a tragedy for them." |
| Mr McCallister said the fire was "ferocious". | Mr McCallister said the fire was "ferocious". |