‘People were banging on the doors until the fire service arrived’
FRANTIC RESIDENTS TRIED TO HELP AS FLAMES ENGULFED FLAT WHERE BODY WAS DISCOVERED
A BODY was found in a top-floor Clifton flat where emergency services tackled a fire.
Firefighters and police were called to the scene in Angell Green at 8.05pm on Monday.
A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police confirmed a body was found within the property. The formal identification process is yet to take place and enquiries are ongoing, the spokesman said.
A joint fire and police investigation is taking place to establish the cause of the fire.
A cordon was in place around the flat and the neighbouring properties yesterday morning.
Two police officers remained at the cordon.
Des Lees, 44, who was born and bred in Clifton, and lives within the cordoned-off area described what happened.
He told the Post: “It was 8pm and I was just about to watch Eastenders and I heard banging.
“I thought ‘what was going on?’ I looked out my bedroom window and saw a commotion.
“I put some clothes on and ran out. I could see the flames coming out from the top of the stairs.
“One guy climbed onto the roof and smashed the window and was asking ‘is anyone in, hello hello?’
“There were a few people that were attempting to go up the stairs but the flames were at the top.
“You could feel the heat through the door. Then the fire, police and ambulance came. The fire was out in 10 to 15 minutes.
“The flames were shooting out of the stench pipe so the bathroom was definitely on fire.”
Church minister Tracy Osborne, who has lived in the area since 1982, said police evacuated homes.
She said: “The windows at the top of the flat were orange and yellow and you could hear really bad popping and there was smoke coming up the alleyway.
“It looked really bad. You had everyone here - three fire engines, ambulances and the police were evacuating everybody and they had breathing gear on.”
Other residents living close by also described how the fire could be seen from the top two windows of the flat.
One 30-year-old mum, who did not wish to be named, added: “I just saw fire in the upstairs windows and smoke on the roof.
“There were people banging on the doors until the fire service arrived.”
A 27-year-old woman, who has lived in the area for three years, added: “I saw six fire engines, three ambulances and multiple squad cars.
“I was just looking out my window and all I saw was two of the windows alight.”
Detective Inspector Kayne Rukas, of Nottinghamshire Police, who is investigating the incident, said an investigation has been launched.
He said: “These are tragic and very sad circumstances and my thoughts are with the family of the person who has died.
“We are continuing our investigation to establish the cause of the fire. At this time we are treating the death as unexplained.
“We would encourage anyone with information to call Nottinghamshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 699 of 5 October 2020.”
Crews from the London Road, Highfields and West Bridgford stations attended following reports of a flat fire at around 8.05pm.
Station Manager Martin Molloy said: “This is a tragic incident and my thought of comfort and condolences go out to the family of the person who has passed away. We are working with our colleagues to investigate the cause of the fire as a full investigation begins.”
A spokesman for East Midlands Ambulance Service added: “We received a call at 8.05pm on October 5 to an address in Clifton. The caller reported a medical emergency. We sent a paramedic in a fast response car and a crewed ambulance.”