A young student has tragically died in a Croydon house blaze. Emergency services raced to the scene after flames engulfed the home in the early hours.
Victim Revealed
Gonthi Abhishek, 28, was killed in the fire on Duppas Hill Terrace in Croydon during the early hours of Tuesday, February 24.
Originally from Peddapuram in India’s Kakinada district, Gonthi had moved to London to pursue an MBA.
Other Victims & Rescue Efforts
- A second man was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
- A third man, suffering from smoke inhalation, was treated in hospital after escaping before the fire brigade arrived.
Firefighters were called to the scene at 1.30 am to tackle flames on both the ground and first floors of the two-storey house. Around 40 firefighters and six engines from multiple Croydon stations battled the blaze.
The fire was declared under control by 2.47am.
Investigation Underway
London Fire Brigade confirmed the swift response and the sadly fatal outcome.
“Sadly, one man was declared dead at the scene and a second man is in a critical condition in hospital. A third man left the premises before we arrived but was treated for smoke inhalation,” said an LFB spokesperson.
The Metropolitan Police said the fire is not currently being treated as suspicious, but investigations continue.
Anyone with information is urged to call police on 101, quoting reference 396/23FEB.
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