THANKFULLY, after a fire started in the attic of their home in the Farmhill Road area of Killyclogher, the Sweeney family all escaped unscathed.

It is believed the family were alerted to the fire thanks to their smoke alarm, and when they went to investigate found the area engulfed with smoke, but everyone managed to evacuate the house safely.

The house suffered extensive internal damage as well as part of the roof collapsing, and is not habitable, but fortunately the family that includes six children has been able to take refuge at a relative's house.

It is believed three fire crews responded quickly to the scene, and have been praised for their superb effort to save the families home, however many personal items were lost to the blaze.

One of the daughters was preparing to travel to Australia next week and had all her documentation in the bedroom upstairs and had it have been destroyed, may not have been able to be replaced in time for her departure.

In hearing this it is believed the fire service made a special attempt to salvage some of this documentation, managing to retrieve her passport. The firemen were commended for their assiduous work to allow the intrepid traveller to sustain her plans to leave next week.