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Three dead in Derbyshire house fire Three dead in Derbyshire house fire
(about 1 hour later)
Three people including a child have died in a house fire in Derbyshire. Three people including a baby girl have died in a fire at a flat in Derbyshire. The blaze broke out at the home in Langley Mill at around 4am on Sunday .
A man, a woman and a girl were killed early on Sunday at a property on North Street in Langley Mill. Police said they were called to the house at 4.04am and found it and a car parked outside badly damaged. Eyewitnesses said a car became engulfed in flames before it spread to the three-storey property. A man, woman and female child were confirmed to have been killed.
Derbyshire police said: “Officers are working with firefighters to ascertain the cause of the fire. Several neighbouring properties have been evacuated as the fire caused a gas leak. Police understand engineers are working to fix the leak.” Police said arson had not been ruled out. Paul Barber, 33, who lives in the flat next door to the one affected, said: “Me and my wife heard banging on our door just before 4am telling us to get out as the flat was on fire. We ran outside and you could just see a big glow and the flames were so high.“People were screaming for help, it was very chaotic. I saw one person throwing their child out of the window on to a mattress to get him safe.”Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, described the efforts of neighbours to save people inside the building. He said: “There were about 20 of us fetching ladders trying to get people out. It’s a huge shock to find out people have died.”A woman who lives on nearby Thompson Street also described people making frantic efforts to rescue occupants. She said: “My husband works early shifts so we were up and had the window open. I saw a glow through the window and heard deafening screaming. “We went outside for a look and there were lots of people panicking, a few came back with ladders to help save people. It’s something you never expect to happen on your doorstep. It’s gut-wrenching to know a small child is involved.”
Neighbours said they had gone to help those stuck inside the house with ladders before emergency services arrived. One man, who did not wish to be named, told the Derby Telegraph: “There were about 20 of us fetching ladders to reach the floors and we managed to get some people out.”
John Dunkley, a watch manager with Derbyshire fire and rescue service, tweeted: “Terrible night shift. Thoughts with all personnel from all emergency services involved at Langley Mill this morning.”John Dunkley, a watch manager with Derbyshire fire and rescue service, tweeted: “Terrible night shift. Thoughts with all personnel from all emergency services involved at Langley Mill this morning.”
Terrible night shift. Thoughts with all personnel from all emergency services involved at Langley Mill this morning.Terrible night shift. Thoughts with all personnel from all emergency services involved at Langley Mill this morning.