Fire service and police investigating deadly Horsham house fire which claimed the life of man in his 90s

Police officers were on patrol on Monday (January 11) when they saw flames coming from a property in Bishopric around 7.30pm, said police.

A spokesman added: “Crews from West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service attended and extinguished the fire. Sadly, the body of a man in his 90s was found inside the house.”

The incident is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious at this stage, and the coroner’s office has been informed, said police. Another elderly man found at the address was treated at hospital for smoke inhalation and some burn injuries to his hand. He has since been discharged.

A spokesman for West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service said: “Joint Fire Control received several calls to a fire in a domestic property on Bishopric in Horsham at 7.25pm on Monday (January 11).

“Two fire engines from Horsham, two from Crawley and one from Billingshurst were mobilised to the scene, and upon arrival were confronted with a well-developed fire on the first floor of the property.

“Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus were quickly deployed to extinguish the fire, with crews using a total of four high pressure hose reels, a safety jet and covering jet.”

Firefighters stayed on the scene alongside officers from Sussex Police for some time into the evening undertaking preliminary investigations, he added.

The spokesman said further investigation work was taking place this morning between WSFRS’s Specialist Fire Investigators and Sussex Police Crime Scene Investigators.”