Two people confirmed dead in serious fire at home near Emsworth

TWO elderly people died in a serious blaze at a bungalow, it has been confirmed.

Emergency services were called to a fire at a bungalow in Nutbourne, near Emsworth, this morning.

The home was ‘well alight’ when firefighters attended the incident at 8.45am, a spokesperson for West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Crews from Chichester, Emsworth and Havant were called, along with police officers and paramedics.

Cot Lane in Nutbourne was closed at the Maybush Drive junction, while emergency services remain in attendance.

Two people died in the blaze. The bungalow was destroyed in the fire.

Detective Chief Inspector Mike Ashcroft, from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime team, said: ‘Two people, believed to be the occupants of the house both in their 90s, have sadly died. An investigation is underway to how the fire started which at this stage is unexplained.’

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A local resident, who didn’t want to be named, told The News: ‘We were quite shocked. Our son was one of the first people on the scene, they could not get access into the building. The fire was well alight by then.’

Another local resident, who didn’t want to be named, said he was driving along Main Road, when he saw the smoke and flames.

The 57­-year­-old said: ‘I was going toward Havant and I saw what looked like a fire. I came down here to see if somebody had called the fire brigade. There were three or four people already outside and they had called the fire brigade.

There was smoke oozing out of the tiles and under the eaves. You could hear crackling. It was a serious fire. I asked people if there was anyone inside, they said there was because their car was in the garage.’

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Bourne county councillor Sandra James said she was saddened to hear of the news. She came to the site to speak to residents and firefighters.

She said: ‘I come down to see if there’s anything I can do. Clearly the firemen are well in control and police have asked us to keep well back. It is very sad.’