Fire heroes die in blaze

Two firefighters died today when a dramatic rooftop rescue from a burning building went tragically wrong.

The men were killed when the roof of the building collapsed, moments after two residents were plucked to safety.

The men were hailed as "heroes" by fire chiefs as their colleagues came to terms with the first loss of firefighters in action in London for more than a decade.

The dead firefighters had been part of a team which took the residents to safety after they clambered onto the top of the flats in Bethnal Green.

Fire crews around the scene rushed to save their colleagues and they were treated for their injuries at the scene but died shortly after arriving at hospital.

Malcolm Kelly, assistant commissionerof London Fire Brigade, said: "It's a very tragic day for us - one of the worst events to befall an organisation like ours. A lot of my colleagues will be upset and we will do anything to help them come through the next few days."

The tragedy unfolded in the early hours of the morning after a 999 call to a fire in the building on Bethnal Green Road.

Eight fire engines and up to 40 firefighters were called in to control the blaze. Mr Kelly said: "The first crew to arrive found a serious fire in the basement. The building is a clothes shop and dwelling above.

"As well as the serious fire, the f loors were smoke-blocked and smoke was coming from the windows. Fire crews also saw two members of the public trapped on the roof level.

"They made their way fleeing the fire and moved up the building and got on the roof. There they attracted the attention of our crew and we got them off using a ladder."

The exact cause of the men's deaths will now be the subject of a major investigation.

Mr Kelly said: "All we know at the present point is they got into difficulty fighting a serious fire in the lower part of the building.

"It will be treated as a scene of crime until we learn otherwise," he added.

Hours after the tragedy, firefighters were still bringing the fire under control and were forced to move away from the structure amid fears the external walls could collapse completely, endangering more lives. Fire-fighters have withdrawn to allow the borough surveyor to determine whether the building is safe.

Today Downing Street led tributes to the two firefighters, whose families were being told of the tragic news.

Tony Blair's official spokesman said: "The Prime Minister obviously sends his sympathies to the families. He recognises the debt that we owe firefighters and the risks that they run to protect people at home and at work."