Barnet fire: Man and woman, both aged 90, killed in blaze at house in north London

Two elderly people have died in a house fire in north London.

Officers were called by London Fire Brigade (LFB) at 1.39am on Friday to the scene of a fire at a residential property in Albemarle Road, Barnet.

Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters from the Barnet, Southgate and Finchley stations tackled the blaze, LFB said.

The London Ambulance Service also attended and treated a 90-year-old man and a 90-year-old woman, but they were pronounced dead at the scene.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: "Their next of kin have been informed and they are currently being supported by specialist officers.

"The cause of the fire is currently unknown and an investigation into the circumstances is under way.

"Inquiries are being led by the LFB."

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."