Man and woman, both 90, die in house fire
BBCA man and a woman, both aged 90, have died in a house fire in north London.
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) was called to a semi-detached house on Albemarle Road, Barnet, shortly before 02:00 GMT.
The blaze had broken out on the ground floor but its cause is unknown.
The Metropolitan Police said the victims' next of kin had been told and were being supported by specialist officers.
A force spokesperson said: "The cause of the fire is currently unknown, and an investigation into the circumstances is under way."
About 25 firefighters tackled the flames and brought the fire under control soon after 03:00.
A resident of Albemarle Road, who did not want to be named, said she heard a helicopter fly over the area in the early hours of Friday as emergency services rushed to the scene.
She added the deceased were a couple who had lived locally for 50 years.
"Just very sad and shocking for all the residents," she said.
"We're a quiet, quite suburban road, and nothing like that ever really happens here, so everyone's quite shocked.
"They were a really sweet couple. Lovely people."
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