A man who died in a fire above a charity shop has been named locally as Kevin Julian Hall.

The 57-year-old was found dead in his council flat in St Andrew’s Road, Surbiton, on Friday morning after an explosion filled the street with smoke.

Flowers had been laid this morning at the entrance to his boarded up flat behind the Victoria pub.

Friends and residents have paid tribute to him, describing him as an outgoing character who was known to most people only as Kevin.

Patricia Collins, manager of New Expressions Hairkuts in Victoria Road, said: “He used to have barbecues in the street. He always said hello to you.

“He was a nice old chap in his late 50s, early 60s. He looked a bit like a down and out. Him and his friend used to sit out the front and chat away to each other.”

Sarah Higgins, a Surbiton resident, said: “We used to chat to him all the time. He was very friendly. We used to chat about everything - our problems.

“He liked car boot sales. He used to like sitting outside in the summer especially when the football was on.”

Another resident said: “He was lovely. He was really outspoken and really friendly. My dad used to come by and they used to smoke where the garage is and just talk.

“He used to ask after my father and say we should arrange a barbecue for the road. He was always wearing shorts and wash his car.”

Another said: “I just saw him about and he was always very friendly. He did some gardening by Surbiton Plaza. He was taking weeds out. He was just a nice man.

“It is a shame because it always happens to the best ones.”

Barratt Waugh, who lives in St Phillips Road, said he had witnessed part of the fire. He said: “We saw the windows blow through and the whole street fill with smoke.

“People had said there was nobody inside. It is just awful isn’t it?”

Maria Nash, who lives in a flat two doors away from the charity shop, said: “He was always outside sitting with chairs and tables. He had this imagination he was in a garden or a balcony.

“He was chatting to himself or to the people who were in the charity shop. He cleaned his car. He always asked people to clean their cars.”

She claimed she had overheard firefighters in the past telling him to clean up his flat. She said: “The hallway and the stairs were packed with junk. They said ‘what if there’s a fire?

“But he wouldn’t give anything away.”

Other residents described his window sills being filled with plants.

One Surbiton resident said that the man was trying to establish a funeral business with a friend before his death.

A removal van was emptying the Fircroft charity shop this morning. Kay Harris, chief executive of the Fircroft Trust, said the shop was expected to be opened again on Wednesday.

Water damage to the bric-a-brac and books the shop sells was not too bad, because of the fine mist spray pumps firefighters had used to put out the fire, she said.

A Kingston Council spokesman said: “The address in St Andrew’s Road, Surbiton is owned by Kingston Council.

“The person resident at the address is a tenant of the council and has been resident at the address since March 2010.

“Following a fire at the address on Friday 1 April at approximately 8am the council understands that a body was recovered from the scene.

“Kingston Council will continue to assist the police and fire brigade as they investigate this tragic incident.”

Police said that they had contacted Mr Hall’s next of kin, who would deal with any property owned by him.

Did you know Mr Hall? Leave a tribute below, email it to dlindsell@london.newsquest.co.uk or call 0208 744 4244.