A six-year-old boy has died following a fire at a house in Ilkeston in which his mother was reportedly heard screaming ‘help me’.
Firefighters found the child with serious injuries after they raced to the scene of a fire on Shaw Street West at 10.40pm on Friday night.
Neighbours also tried to force their way into the property to get into the bedroom of the end-of-terraced home before paramedics arrived on the scene.
The boy was taken to Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham by ambulance but medics were unable to save his life.
A forensic officer attends the scene on Shaw Street West in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, where a six-year-old boy died in a house fire in which his mother was heard screaming: ‘help me’
Firefighters found the child with serious injuries after they raced to the scene of a fire on Shaw Street West (pictured) at 10.40pm on Friday night
One neighbour told Derbyshire Live: ‘I heard this commotion on the street, it was the mum screaming ‘help me, help me’.
‘Me and another neighbour tried to get in but we just couldn’t. People tried their hardest to help.’
Another neighbour, called David, said: ‘The lad is so young. I really feel for the family, I have kids myself so I can’t imagine what they are going through.’
Jack Hill, 25, who also lives on the street, said: ‘I heard screaming from outside the house and went to look.
‘It was the young girl that lives there who was screaming, then I saw her mum.
‘I ran to the Chinese takeaway and grabbed their fire extinguisher and went into the house.
Police and firefighters at the scene on Saturday morning. Neighbours also tried to force their way into the property to get into the bedroom before paramedics arrived on the scene
The fire brigade had arrived on the residential street with breathing apparatus and hose real jets and performed CPR on the boy until paramedics arrived
‘I tried to get into the upstairs room but the smoke was too thick. Then I saw the young boy that lives there being brought our by the fire brigade.
The house where the fire broke out remained cordoned off this morning with investigators on the scene.
Officers are going to the back of the property via the alleyway to investigate and a van carrying a fire brigade dog has arrived in the street.
The fire brigade had arrived on the residential street with breathing apparatus and hose real jets and performed CPR on the boy until paramedics arrived.
Three fire crews from Ilkeston and Stapleford attended the scene, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said.
The house where the fire broke out remained cordoned off this morning with investigators on the scene
According to neighbours the emergency services remained on the scene until the early hours of Saturday.
One said: ‘We had been out and when we turned into the street there were police cars, an ambulance and fire engines.
‘It looked really serious, they were here until around 12.30am.’
‘Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service would like to extend its thoughts and sympathy to the family and friends of the boy at this distressing time,’ the fire brigade said.
Another said they had read about the fire on social media, saying: ‘Everyone was saying how awful it is.
‘The lad is so young. I really feel for the family, I have kids myself so I can’t imagine what they are going through.’
Anybody with any information about the incident is encouraged to contact Derbyshire Constabulary, with reference 18*516997.