A house fire in Limerick city has claimed the life of an elderly woman.

A call reporting the blaze at O' Curry Place in Limerick city was made at 8 o' clock last night.

Three units of the Fire & Rescue Service were sent to the scene.

On arrival, they found the house engulfed in flames.

Firefighters entered the home with the aid of breathing apparatus and discovered a woman in her late 80s, who was unconscious.

She was taken from the house and paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene.