One dies, eight evacuated in fire




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Four adults and four children had to be evacuated from neighbouring houses
to the town's leisure centre as the fire took hold



An elderly man has died after an early morning fire broke out in the attic space of a terraced house.

Four adults and four children had to be evacuated from six neighbouring houses Brecon, Powys, to the local leisure centre but have now gone home.

The fire started in Orchard Street just before 0500 BST and is now out.

The road was closed while investigations were carried out but it has now reopened, Dyfed-Powys Police said.

Up to 18 firefighters from Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Serrvice tackled the fire, using a thermal imaging camera.

Neighbours in the street have described seeing smoke coming out of the house's roof.

John Harries, the landlord of the Three Horseshoes Inn, which is next to the house, said he smelled smoke when he got up just after 0430 BST.

He said he went up to his attic and found it thick with smoke.

"It was so thick after that I had to put a towel around my mouth to breathe," he said.

He said he rang the fire service and they told him to evacuate the building so he and his business partner Gwilyam Williams left.

Mr Harries said: "I had to leave it, even if the place caught fire, the smoke was coming out of the roof."

Joy Wagthorne, 66, who lives opposite said: "We were in the bedroom and we could see the smoke coming from the roof. There were fire engines and an ambulance."


THEBBC