Finaghy house fire: Man freed on bail

Eileen Collagan inspects the damage after the fire in the early hours of Sunday morning

A man arrested on suspicion of arson has been freed on bail after two people were rescued from a house fire in south Belfast.

The fire happened in Killard Place in the Finaghy area at about 02:30 GMT on Sunday morning.

The police said the arrested man is assisting with enquiries

Eileen Collagan and her 32-year-old son were in the house at the time and escaped the blaze.

She said she was woken by her son, who was sleeping downstairs at the time of the fire.

"He shouts up to me: 'Mammy, hurry up and get out, the house is on fire.'"

Eileen Collagan said she believed the fire was started by something pushed through the letterbox

She said the house was filled with smoke and that she was "choking" and "couldn't see a thing".

"Then the fire brigade came and they had to give us oxygen," she added.

She said she believed something was pushed through the house's letterbox.

Mrs Collagan and her son were taken to hospital and treated for smoke inhalation.

Eileen Collagan said she was sleeping when her son alerted her to the fire