Elderly woman dies in Plymouth house fire

The 84 year old woman, named locally as Katherine Sanders was found by firefighters in a first floor bedroom and was pronounced dead at the scene. Her 60 year old son, Peter Stacey is in a critical condition in Derriford Hospital.

Fire station manager Alan Bowers, who worked throughout the night with crews from Greenbank and Crownhill, said: “Flames were coming out of the back of the house by the time we arrived. What is apparent is the fire spread rapidly to 100 per cent of the house. Luckily we don’t have to deal with many incidents like this. It’s an absolute tragedy. This is the most ferocious domestic house fire I’ve seen in my 20-odd years of service.”

Neighbours tried to break into the property but were blown back out by the immense force of the fire.

A neighbour, Janet Coutts said: “They only got four yards in. The fire just blew them all out straight away and they were coughing and choking. The firemen said if they’d tried to do any more they could have lost their lives too.”

It is not yet known what caused the fire but it is believed to have started in the kitchen shortly after Mr Stacey returned home.