A man died today after a blaze swept through a flat in Shoebury.
Wrecked - the top-floor flat in Delaware Road Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL
A police officer was also injured rescuing an elderly couple from the blaze, in Delaware Road.
The incident began at 1.30am when two officers were flagged down by members of the public and alerted to a flat fire.
They contacted the fire service and then went into the building and battled through thick smoke to evacuate residents.
One officer wrapped a fleece jumper over his head to get through the smoke and managed to rescue an elderly couple.
A spokesman for Essex police said: "The officer almost certainly saved the couple's lives and he tried valiantly to get into the flat which was on fire, but he was beaten back by the smoke."
Fire crews wearing breathing apparatus arrived shortly after and went into the burning building, rescuing a man in his early twenties.
The man was treated at the scene and then taken to Southend Hospital, but later died from his injuries.
Published Monday May 24, 2004
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