Anti-burglar door locks ‘may have hampered bids to save blaze man’

The 68-year-old, who was believed to be deaf, was carried unconscious from his seventh-floor flat in Valiant Drive, Hull, on Saturday, and could not be revived despite attempts to resuscitate him in the building.

Neighbour Lee Birjoo, 38, said the dead man’s brother, who lives on the fifth floor, had tried to get into the flat but could not break the door down. He said both brothers were deaf.

Mr Birjoo said: “He used to get him his paper. He went for his paper, came back and it was black around the letter box. He tried kicking his door in but there were five bolts on the door, dead bolts because he had been burgled. His next-door neighbour called the fire brigade.”

Mr Birjoo said his partner had been upset after seeing the attempts to resuscitate the man outside their flat.

“Our lass was upset because she saw it,” he said. “Our lass and my son saw them trying to resuscitate him outside our door.”

Other residents spoke of their shock. Sam Moore, 33, who lives on the first floor, said: “I was crying, he was a really nice guy.”

An investigation to establish the cause of the blaze is being carried out, although it is not thought to be suspicious.

A fire service spokeswoman said: “Humberside Fire and Rescue Service was called at 0850 hours this morning to attend a flat fire in Valiant Drive, off Barham Road, Hull.

“Upon arrival, crews were informed that the flat on the seventh floor was occupied. Upon entering the flat firefighters found a man, believed to be in his 60s, inside.

“The man was quickly taken down to the ground floor where firefighters and paramedics tried to revive him, however, the man sadly died.”