A 13-year-old schoolboy has died nine days after a house fire in south London.
The teenager was rushed to hospital after the fire, on Camden Gardens, Thornton Heath. Firefighters had rescued him from the first floor of a home during the blaze on March 25.
Witnesses told the Standard a family had lived in the home for about a year and the boy’s father and two passing tradesmen also tried desperately to help the boy.
The London Fire Brigade confirmed on Thursday the youngster had died in hospital. The cause of the fire is under investigation, it added.
Several other people were injured in the Croydon fire, including a man in his 30s and a woman in her 20s who were hurt as they tried to rescue the teenage boy, as black smoke billowed from the windows of the property.
They were taken to hospital with laceration injuries and suffering from smoke inhalation.
Neighbour Val Dewson previously said two young boys and their parents had been living at the home.
She said: “They were just nice, gentle people. The kids were nice, it was very rare you heard them. They didn’t deserve this. It’s kept me up all night”.
In a statement, the LFB said: “Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters were called to a house fire on Camden Gardens in Thornton Heath.
“Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus rescued a young man from the first floor via an internal staircase. He was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews where he sadly later died.
“Part of the ground and first floor of the property was damaged by fire.
“The Brigade was called at 5.34pm and the fire was under control by 7.45pm. Fire crews from Norbury and West Norwood fire stations attended the scene.
“The cause of the fire is under investigation.”
