Man dies in bungalow blaze (From St Helens Star)

Man dies in blaze at bungalow on Rob Lane in Newton-le-Willows

5:43pm Thursday 12th July 2012 in News

A MAN in his 50s died in a fire at a bungalow last night.

The blaze took hold in a bedroom of the property at Rob Lane in Newton-le-Willows after 9pm on Wednesday.

Station Manager Steve Pratt, who attended the incident, said: “Firefighters were on scene within minutes and heard smoke alarms sounding from inside the property.

“Neighbours had tried to break a lounge window to allow smoke out of the bungalow. Firefighters entered the property and rescued an elderly man.

“They also brought another man out of the property. Unfortunately he was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.”

Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service Incident Investigation Team is examining what caused the blaze.

A statement read: “The investigation into the cause of the fire is continuing but at this stage the cause of the fire is thought to be accidental.

“Around 90per cent of the bedroom was severely damaged by fire. There was also moderate smoke damage to around half of each of the six other rooms in the property.”

The elderly man who was rescued was taken to Warrington Hospital by ambulance suffering from smoke inhalation.