Elderly woman dies after fire breaks out in apartment block

Emergency services were called to Ledgard Avenue in Leigh at 4.35am on Monday.

A blaze had broken out in an apartment and firefighters from five stations in the borough and further afield were needed to tackle the flames.

A woman in her 70s was found but was pronounced dead at the scene.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: “At 4:35am on Monday, December 27 five fire engines from Leigh, Warrington, Atherton, Hindley and Bolton Central attended a fire involving a domestic property on Ledgard Avenue, Leigh.

“Crew quickly attended the scene and firefighters used six breathing apparatus, two hose reel jets and a positive pressure ventilation fan to extinguish the fire. Fire service personnel remain in attendance.”

An investigation has now been launched to find out what happened.

A police spokesman said: "At around 5am police were called to a report of a fire at an apartment block in the Ledgard Avenue area of Leigh.

"Emergency services attended and sadly a woman in her 70s was pronounced dead at the scene.

"An investigation is under way to establish the cause of the fire but initial enquiries suggest there to be no suspicious circumstances at this time.

"No other injuries were reported."

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