Man dies in Great Yarmouth flat fire

Anthony CarrollA man has died in a Great Yarmouth flat fire this morning.Three fire engines from Yarmouth were called to the flat in Queen's Road just after 7am.Anthony Carroll

A man has died in a Great Yarmouth flat fire this morning.

Three fire engines from Yarmouth were called to the flat in Queen's Road just after 7am.

At 10 am the area around flat, which is one of three in a building by the Camden Tavern, was cordoned off as police forensic officers and fire investigators started to examine the cause of the flat fire.

Det Insp Ricky Botwright, of Yarmouth police, said: 'We were called at 7.30am to the top floor flat at Queen's Road which was ablaze.'

Det Insp Botwright said no one else was in the flat at time and his officers were talking to an occupant of another flat as a witness.

Neighbour Veronica Howell, 57 and who did not know the man who died, was alerted to the fire by the barking of her German shepherd Bear.

She said: 'The smoke was very bad. It was awful. I don't care who you are, you don't deserve to die like that.'

As well as the three fire crews from Yarmouth, 15 police officers and five detectives were sent to the scene of the fire with several forensic teams also called in after the fire was put out at about 7.50am.

Norfolk police spokesman Jon Dack said: 'Officers from Norfolk Constabulary are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding a fire at Queen's Road in Yarmouth.

'The alarm was raised shortly after 7am this morning.

'On arrival at the scene, the body of a male was discovered inside the property.

'At this early stage, the incident is being treated as unexplained and investigations will continue throughout the day.'