Victim of city Boxing Day fire was ‘one of the kindest men around’
TRIBUTES have been paid to “one of the kindest men around” following his death in a house fire on Boxing Day.
Emergency services were called to the fatal fire in Brighton Road in Alvaston on Boxing Day after residents heard an explosion at around 10pm.
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service later confirmed a 58-year-old man had died at the scene and the fire was caused by discarded smoking materials.
Police have not officially released the victim’s name but he has been named locally as Colin Johnson. A number of heartfelt tributes have been paid to him.
One of the tributes was from Nechirvan Tahir, who runs the Smart Mini Market in Brighton Road, yards from the scene of the fire.
Mr Tahir, 37, told how he was the first to call emergency services when he could see smoke coming from the house while closing up for business for the day.
He said: “Colin was a regular customer and would come into the shop at weekends.
“He was a very friendly man. He would often buy some food or some cider and have a laugh with me. He was a very nice man and he was very happy when the shop opened a few years ago.
“I can’t believe he’s gone. I still feel like he will come into my shop sometime soon and have a chat.”
More tributes were paid on the Derby Telegraph’s Facebook page when news of the fatal fire came to light.
Donna Smith, a close friend who used to work at the same shop, gave Mr Johnson the nickname of “Popeye”.
She wrote: “Honestly my heart sank when I heard this.
“Popeye was genuinely soft. Wouldn’t hurt a fly, I have been witness to him helping so many people. Our elderly customers who needed help shopping, an NHS nurse who forgot her purse after getting tea for her family, he paid for it.
“He often bought kids little sweets to enable their parents to shop in peace if the parents agreed. He was one of the kindest men around.”
Another neighbour said: “The emergency services tried so hard to save his life. It is so sad. I will lay some flowers for him later.”