A man in his 50s has died following a fire at a flat in North Lanarkshire.
Two Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service crews were called out to the blaze at Muiryhill Street, Coatbridge, at 0100 GMT.
The man was rescued by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus and given treatment before being taken to Monklands Hospital where he died.
It is the second fire death in the Strathclyde area during the last 24 hours and the third since last Monday.
“We provide advice and guidance about how to reduce the risk of fire in the home ”
Lewis Ramsay Strathclyde Fire and Rescue
A 53-year-old woman died in a fire in a flat in Renfrewshire on New Year’s Day.
And on 27 December an elderly man died in a fire at a ground floor flat in Bangorshill Street, Thornliebank, East Renfrewshire.
Lewis Ramsay, from Strathclyde Fire and Rescue, said: “In addition to these tragic incidents, there have been 68 fires involving casualties in Strathclyde since the start of December. Most of these fires have been in flats or houses.
“We would remind people to be extremely careful over what remains of the festive holiday and beyond. The use of candles and tea lights in the house and greater consumption of alcohol help to increase the risk of fire in the home.
“Strathclyde Fire and Rescue is keen to promote our free home safety visits. We provide advice and guidance about how to reduce the risk of fire in the home and what to do if one takes place – we even provide free smoke detectors.”
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