TWO people lost their lives in separate house fires in Dublin and Cork yesterday in what were described as "tragic incidents".

In Dublin, four units of the fire brigade responded to a blaze in a house at Woodhazel Terrace, Ballymun at around 7.30am. A 44-year-old woman was killed and was said to be the only person in the building at the time.

In Cork, a 23-year-old man died after a fire broke out in an apartment at Rushbrooke Manor in Cobh just after midnight on Friday. The body was removed from the scene for a post-mortem examination.

In a separate incident on the southside of Cork city, the Lough Tavern pub was destroyed by fire. There were no injuries.