Third man dies after fatal house fire in Croydon as fourth in critical condition

A third man has died after a house fire in Croydon with a fourth man in a critical condition in hospital.

Firefighters and other emergency services rushed to an address on Sanderstead Road, south Croydon, just before 11pm on Friday.

The cause of the blaze is being probed by police and firefighters.

Two men were pronounced dead at the scene, one of whom was thought to be in his 40s. 

In an update, officers said the third man at the scene died in hospital on Saturday afternoon.

Detectives said they believe the deceased were Polish nationals and that work was ongoing to trace their next-of-kin.

Two other men who presented at hospital, including the man who is in a critical condition, are also thought to be Polish nationals.

Met Chief Inspector Imran Asghar said: “This is an extremely sad incident, which has led to the deaths of three men, while a fourth man remains in hospital in a critical condition.

“My colleagues have made significant progress towards confirming the identities of the men and providing support to their families. 

“This process is ongoing. At this stage, I understand that the three men who have died were Polish nationals, as are the other two men who attended hospital."

The fifth man who attended hospital has since been discharged from hospital.

Anyone with information about the cause of the fire is asked to call police on 101, referencing 7129/29DEC23.