An elderly man has died in a house fire in Fareham this morning

The elderly man was trapped inside his bedroom at the home in Nicholas Crescent, Fareham, when firefighters were called to the blaze shortly before 8am.

A Hampshire Fire and Rescue spokesman confirmed a woman was also in the house but managed to escape.

A spokesman for South Central Ambulance Service said the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Barry and Marjorie Lambert watched the drama unfold from their home nearby after being alerted by the emergency services’ present and described how the blaze took hold within minutes.

Marjorie, 70, said: “The whole of the front room was full of flames, it took hold so fast.  Smoke was coming out the front and top of the house.

“We did see paramedics, they rushed up and they took the stretcher and they brought him out and they were treating him on the grass.

“They got him into the ambulance and the ambulance was there a while.”

Barry, 71, said: I could just see a glow and a flicker in the corner of the front room and within no time at all there were flames and then the whole room looked like it was alight – it was quite scary how quickly it took hold – two or three minutes.

“Smoke was then coming out from under the gutters and there was smoke coming from the top of the front bedroom and masses of smoke coming from the back of the house.

“I heard a smash  and bits of glass breaking.

“The emergency services were bombing about – they got the flames under control pretty quickly.

He described how firefighters wearing breathing gear and armed with hoses were inside the property.  He said they had also gone into the other side of the semi-detached property and opened the windows.

The woman was treated for smoke inhalation at the scene and taken to Queen Alexandra hospital in Portsmouth for minor injuries.

It is understood the fire began in the bedroom and did not spread to the rest of the semi-detached property.

Neighbours were alerted to the blaze after a fire alarm set off in the bungalow.

Roy Weston, 78, a nearby neighbour told how they had watched the drama unfold from the window and efforts to revive someone on the ground outside the house.

"My wife was drawing the curtains and saw the police flashing lights and saw the fire engine there and police about.  There were two police cars and three fire engines.

"They had a lot of hoses that were connected up on the road and they cordoned off the road.

"There was a bit of smoke.

"I didn't see but my wife said she saw a lot of smoke and they were working on somebody on the pavement before the ambulance arrived."

He said the house was lived in by a couple in their 70s or 80s, who had lived there for at least 40 years.

"Of course it's sad, my wife was upset of course, she said she felt a bit sick.

"It's really awful."

Jeanette Kirkham, who lives next door was away visiting family and returned to the tragedy that had unfolded hours before.

"It's just a shock to come back having been away for Christmas and to come back and hear the sad news - it's very sad, it's terrible."

She said the couple who lived there, in their 80s, had been living there for 40 years.

There is an eerie calm down at the scene of a fatal fire just hours before.

The crescent is predominantly detached and semi-detached bungalows and barring the odd dog walker out on a frosty morning stroll is quiet apart from the presence of emergency services.

Four police and four fire vehicles, including one fire engine, a fire safety community van and an arson task force van, remain one the scene and the house and several either side are cordoned off with police tape.

Police are stationed outside the property, while fire staff are also nearby.

What appear to be investigators are working inside the property.

On the face of it the semi-detached bungalow appeared relatively untouched but evidence of the blaze is clear from a massive smashed window pane in the front room and complete blackness behind it, where work appears to be focused.

Ken Manchip, 80, retired, who lives nearby, said: "The cordon has prevented us getting any closer.

"I was concerned about my friends next door.

Ken Manchip

"I don't know any details but considering the amount of attendance I thought it had to be something serious.

"It's distressing that goes without saying."

He said the house was lived in by an elderrly couple in their 80s but he did not know them well.

Stanley Hoare, 84, who lives nearby, retired, added: "I'm just shocked.  It's terrible. It's very quiet around here normally.

"I went out early and all the police cars were there and the cordon."

Stanley Hoare

Hampshire Fire and Rescue sent two crews from Fareham and a crew from Portchester to the scene while South Central Ambulance Service sent several vehicles including a hazardous area response team.

Four breathing apparatus were used and fire investigation crews are still on the scene establishing how the blaze began.