Clacton house fire: Man killed as woman and child rescued by neighbours

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-22426284

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A man has died in a "severe" fire that tore through a terraced house in Essex.

Fire crews said a woman and a toddler were rescued by neighbours in Stanley Road, Clacton, after smashing a bedroom window but the man could not be saved.

Seven fire crews battled to get the blaze, which began just before 11:00 BST, under control.

Incident commander Paul Nash said an investigation had begun into the cause of the fire, which engulfed almost all of the house.

Mr Nash said: "When crews arrived at the scene, they were faced with a severe fire on both ground and first floor.

"Fortunately neighbours were able to get on to a flat roof to smash a bedroom window to bring a woman and small child out of the building before we got here.

"Unfortunately, we were not able to save the man that perished in the fire and our thoughts are obviously with his family now."

It is believed rescuers pitched a ladder to a first floor bedroom to bring the woman and child to safety.