Man Dies In Fire At Flats in Southsea

Police are investigating what caused a fire which led to a man's death in Portsmouth.

At 14:50 on Monday 20 December 2010, emergency control room operators received a call to a fire in flat on the fifth floor of an eight-storey residential building.

A 53-year-old man was rescued from the fire and taken to Queen Alexandra Hospital by South Central Ambulance but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Fire appliances from Southsea, Cosham, Havant and Horndean and the aerial ladder platform, special equipment unit and multi-role vehicle were in attendance to tackle the fire in Omega House, Southsea. The flat was 20% severely damaged by fire and 100% severely damaged by smoke.

Hampshire Police have confirmed that a hand grenade and firearms that were found in the flat in Omega House were assessed by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team from the Royal Navy and found to be replicas, therefore they never posed a danger to the residents. 

All residents apart from those on the fifth floor are being allowed to return to their flats. The fifth floor remains sealed off to allow the police and fire service to continue their investigations into the cause of the fire.