Flat fire victim is named

A man who died after a blaze swept through his first-floor flat in Wellington was today named as Robert Price.

The 54-year-old, who was believed to be living alone, died after a fire broke out at his housing association flat in Portia Close on Tuesday.

Residents who were evacuated from the surrounding five flats during the blaze remain out of their homes today.

Telford police spokesman Chris Ammonds said: "We are looking at the exact cause of the fire and how it started.

"But we are not looking to speak to anyone else in connection with the incident."

David Faers, from the Bromford Group, said: "None of the residents has been put back into their homes yet. We are looking at getting them back in over the next 24 to 48 hours. We don't know the exact number of people taken out yet because some of the flats are multi-occupancy."

Mr Price was carried from his flat in a critical condition by firefighters but died at the Princess Royal Hospital.

Part of the living room, where he was found, collapsed into the flat below but the resident living there had already been evacuated.

Firefighters were called to the three-storey block of flats in the quiet cul-de-sac shortly after 4pm.

They took Mr Price out of his first-floor home before trying to resuscitate him.

Police cordoned off the flats and carried out an investigation with forensics and the fire service.