Man dies as blaze sweeps bungalow

Jul 7 2008 by Ben Guy, The Journal

A MAN was killed and neighbours had to be evacuated after a fire broke out in a bungalow in a picturesque Northumberland village.

The blaze happened shortly before 5pm on Saturday in Norham, near Berwick.

Neighbours spotted smoke coming from the end of terraced bungalow in Bow Well Cottages in the village.

The man who lived there, named locally as Douglas Hartley and in his early 60s, was killed in the fire.

Neighbour Alex Spence, 65, who called the fire brigade after seeing smoke said yesterday: “It was very bad. We got ourselves out and we got the elderly woman in another bungalow out but by then there were flames coming out of his window.

“When we first saw the smoke we thought he was just burning toast because that has happened several times before, but the smoke started to go black so I dialled 999.

“They were here quickly, but it seems like such a long time when you can see the flame and hear the explosions – probably the television and the windows – coming from inside. It was horrendous.” Mr Spence described how smoke from the blaze had started to filter into the two adjoining bungalows through the roof.

A number of passers by had also attempted to get into the house, but had been driven back by the smoke and flames.

Mr Spence added: “We looked into his house but by then the fire was really going – you could see into the kitchen and it was just flames.”

Yesterday police and fire forensic teams carried out investigations into the cause of the blaze, which became so hot that it burnt a hole in the roof as well as ripping through the house.

Mr Spence and his wife Margaret, as well as their elderly neighbour, were unable to return to their homes until Sunday morning, and spent the night with relatives.

Mr Hartley moved into the village from Berwick about two years ago, although he was known to frequently take the bus back into the town. Flowers were left outside the house yesterday.

Dave Myers, manager of the Northumberland Fire and Rescue Arson Task Force, said three engines had been used to deal with the blaze.

He added: “We got the call at about 5pm and by the time we got here it was well developed.

“Officers did enter the building despite the intensity of the fire but unfortunately it was too late.

“The investigation is now ongoing and there are as yet no conclusions as to how the fire started.”