POLICE have revealed that a woman in her 80s has died following a house fire in south Belfast.

The blaze at the house in Donegall Avenue was reported to police at about 5.45 pm on Wednesday.

A Northern Ireland Ambulance Service spokesman said the woman was taken to hospital in a “serious condition”.

PSNI chief insp Gavin Kirkpatrick said she died a short time later.

He added: “An investigation into the cause of the fire, which is not believed to be suspicious, has now commenced.”