One man dies and person missing after Plymouth flat fire
Man dies in Plymouth flat fire on New Year's Day
(about 4 hours later)
One man has died and a person is missing after a severe fire at a block of flats in Plymouth, police have said.
A man died when fire broke out at a block of flats in Plymouth.
The blaze broke out in a fourth floor flat at the building on Union Street just before 02:00 GMT.
The blaze broke out in a fourth floor flat at the building on Union Street just before 02:00 GMT.
Three people were rescued from a flat on the fourth floor and 35 others were evacuated from the building.
Three people were rescued from a flat on the fourth floor and 35 others were evacuated from the building. The cause is under investigation.
Tom Costello, who lives in the flat below the one where the fire started, described it as "horrendous" and said he could hear screaming.
Tom Costello, who lives in the flat below, said: "I have never seen a fire like it in my life, you could hear screams and it just wasn't pleasant."
He said: "I came back and there was a horrendous fire, I have never seen a fire like it in my life, you could hear screams and it just wasn't pleasant.
He added: "I have just been allowed back into my flat to look at the damage and thankfully it isn't too bad, there is minimal water damage but it is nothing after what happened."
"I have just been allowed back into my flat to look at the damage and thankfully it isn't too bad, there is minimal water damage but it is nothing after what happened."
About 35 firefighters tackled the blaze, alongside paramedics who treated four people at the scene,
At its height, six fire crews tackled the blaze and two remain at the scene damping down. The cause of the fire is not yet known.
Police and firefighters broke down doors to wake residents, who were taken to a nearby pub for safety.
Fire Commander Keith Pascoe, from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue, said when crews arrived at the block of flats, they could see the fire in the window of the flat before it quickly spread to the roof.
An area from The Octagon to Stonehouse Bridge has been cordoned off.
"We were able to contain it to the flat where the fire started but I can confirm, very sadly, that we have one deceased person in that flat, as a result of the fire," said Mr Pascoe.
An area from The Octagon to Stonehouse Bridge has been cordoned off and a joint investigation between police and the fire service, into the cause of the blaze, is due to begin.
