An elderly man has died after the living room of his home caught fire last night.

Firefighters in breathing apparatus burst in to the detached house in Smitham Downs Road, Purley after being told the man was inside, but he was pronounced dead at the scene after being rescued.

Around 20 firefighters spent more than an hour tackling the fire, and managed to save about 80 per cent of the building from serious damage.

Red Watch manager from Croydon station, Harvey Payne, said: "We were told that there was someone inside, so crews went in with breathing apparatus.

"They found him in the living room and rescued him but unfortunately he was pronounced life-extinct at the scene."

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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