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Man killed in 'severe' house fire Man killed in 'severe' house fire
(40 minutes later)
A man has been killed in a house fire in Worcestershire. A 37-year-old father has been killed in a house fire from which his wife and three children managed to escape.
Fire crews broke a window to get into the terraced property in The Glade, on the Pound Bank estate, Malvern, at about 0130 BST. Fire crews found Richard Perkins dead in a bedroom of the terraced home in The Glade, on Pound Bank estate, Malvern, at about 0130 BST.
One man was found dead in a bedroom. Four other people at the property managed to escape and were treated for smoke inhalation, the service said. His family, who fled by breaking windows, suffered smoke inhalation. The "severe and intense" fire was tackled by 30 firefighters for an hour.
Hereford and Worcester Fire Service said about 30 firefighters tackled the "severe and intense" blaze for an hour. A police investigation has begun into its cause.
"The cause of the fire is subject to investigation by both police and fire service investigators," a spokesman for the service added. 'Wife screaming'
Fire crews from Worcester, Malvern and Upton-upon-Severn went to the scene. Neighbours said they were woken in the early hours by the screams of the family inside the house.
Window escape Mandy Harris, who lives next door, said: "I ran outside into the street, rang the fire brigade and (Mr Perkins' wife) was actually screaming through the window at this time.
He wouldn't hurt anything or hurt anybody James Loveridge, Mr Perkins' brother-in-law
"A friend of mine ran round the back with the hosepipe and tried to put the porch out.
"I was scared to death to be honest. I was shaking like a leaf, I thought they were all going to die to be honest."
James Loveridge said his brother-in-law Mr Perkins "wouldn't hurt a fly".
"He wouldn't hurt anything or hurt anybody.
"He was one of those people who just sailed through life, tried to make the best of everything he had."
Fire crews said the fire was so severe that flames were coming through the windows and there was a risk that the blaze would spread to the neighbouring terraced houses.
Crews from Worcester, Malvern and Upton-upon-Severn went to the scene.
Kevin Taylor, who lives nearby, said: "Well you could hear the crackling, obviously from the house being burnt.Kevin Taylor, who lives nearby, said: "Well you could hear the crackling, obviously from the house being burnt.
"The fire brigade was on the scene all night, they never left, just in case it started up again.""The fire brigade was on the scene all night, they never left, just in case it started up again."
He added: "We've lived round this estate for 45 years and it's the first time I've ever known this happen."
Alec Mackie, from Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, said: "Regretfully fire crews found one man deceased in his bedroom at the rear of the property, having got in there via a ladder and broken the window.
"The four people who managed to escape via bedroom windows have been treated for smoke inhalation."