A MAN has died in a flat fire in Chelmsford.

Firefighters were called to the detached property in Galleywood Road, which houses four flats, in the early hours of Saturday.

Two men in the property, both suffering from smoke inhalation, had been brought out of the ground floor flat by firefighters and were taken to Broomfield Hospital by the ambulance service.

But one of them, aged in his forties, sadly died a short time later in hospital.

The second man, aged 33, is being treated in hospital.

Jemma Cooke, 21, who lives in one of the other flats, said she knew nothing about the fire until firefighters told her, her partner and young child.

She said: “We didn’t hear anything.

“The first we knew was when the firefighters were shouting up the stairs that there was a fire.

“We did not have to be evacuated.”

Ms Cooke said the man who died had lived in the flat since about October last year.

She said: “I can’t remember his name, but I used to speak to him and see him often sitting out the back, watching the sun go down.

“It was my daughter’s third birthday last week and he asked after her.

“I think he had children of his own. It is so surreal and I am still in shock. I keep expecting to see him walk past. My partner spoke with the dead man’s brother, who was really cut up. ”

Ms Cooke said the man who survived was a lodger, who had been living there since March.

Helen Cook, of Essex Police, said the fire, which broke out at 3.40am, was not being treated as suspicious, but a joint police and fire investigation would be carried out to determine the cause.

She appealed for any witnesses to come forward.

Essex Fire and Rescue said there was a smoke alarm in the property, but the batteries had been removed.

It re-iterated its warning against taking batteries from them, even just for a moment.

Assistant divisional officer Stuart McMilllan said: “Smoke alarms providea vital early warning at the first sign of fire.

“They are one of the most important pieces of equipment in any home.

“Everyone should make sure they have smoke alarms in their homes, that they are working and they test them regularly.”

Joy Hale, of the East of England Ambulance Service, said they were called at 3.45am and two ambulances were sent to the scene.

She added: “One man, aged around 40, was in cardiac arrest and taken to Broomfield Hospital where he died soon after arrival.

“Another male patient, suffering smoke inhalation, was also taken to Broomfield Hospital.”

The cause of the fire is still under investigation and the name of the dead man has not yet been released.

An inquest will be opened and adjourned soon.