Man dies in burning house after trying to rescue brother who had jumped to safety

A man was killed in a house fire after rushing into the property save his brother who he did not realise had managed to escape from the blaze.

Mohsin Janjua, 28, became trapped during his rescue attempt on Saturday, unaware that his brother, Faisal, had clambered to safety through a rear window at the terraced property in Bradford, West Yorks. After some 20 minutes inside the property, he was overcome by fire and smoke.

His sibling wanted to go back into their family home to help him but he had injured his leg when he jumped to safety. He and neighbours watched as the house was engulfed by flames and left a burnt-out shell.

Firefighters went later into the smoking wreckage to pull Mohsin out but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The fire broke out in Finch St in the Little Horton area of the city about 5am on Saturday local time.

‘He died a hero - I heard a massive crash and screaming’

Leo Whyte, Mohsin’s lifelong friend and neighbour, said: “He died a hero. I woke up at 4am and heard a massive crash and screaming. I ran downstairs and saw an orange glow coming through the windows.

“I went outside to see the whole house on fire. Moshin told us ‘I’m going in, my brother is in there’. There was no stopping him.

“He did not know Faisal had jumped out of the window at the other side.

“Faisal wanted to go back in when he realised what Mohsin had done but he had injured his leg when escaping.

“Mohsin was in the house for about 15-20 minutes. It is just so gut-wrenching.”

Mr Whyte, 25, said Mohsin had been a “lifelong friend” since school, adding: “I have known him since I was 4 years old.

“He was a really good lad - an angel. A happy-go-lucky person. Everyone liked him.

“He always would say hello and look after me in school.

“He would do anything for anyone. He was such a nice kid.”

Another friend added: “I always went to the mosque with him on Fridays. He was a diamond.

“I last spoke to him a few hours before it happened. What a man he was for going in there. He’s gone in to save his family.”

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: “At 5.31am on Saturday, police were contacted by the fire service who were attending a fire at a house in Finch St, Bradford.

“A man, a woman, and a child had managed to escape from the property and were taken to hospital for treatment. Their injuries were not life-threatening.

“A second man was brought out of the address by firefighters and was treated by paramedics but was pronounced dead at the scene.

“A scene is in place at the address and police are working with fire service investigators to establish the exact cause of the fire, which is not believed to be suspicious.”