Details have emerged of how a hero police officer risked his own life to save a suspected arsonist from a fire inside a flat.
The Bedfordshire Police officer, who has not been named, suffered serious burns after running inside the burning flat to try and rescue a male who was suspected by police of having been involved in a spate of recent arson attacks.
Four other police officers and one firefighter also sustained injuries from the fire in Green Court, Luton.
Detectives investigating three attempted arson attacks at properties in the area in the early hours of Wednesday morning (20th April) had identified an occupant in a block of flats as a suspect through extensive CCTV enquiries.
As part of the ongoing investigation, a team of five officers, from Response Team and CID, were deployed to a flat on the 14th floor at 04:00 hours on Thursday (21st April).
However, on arrival officers were confronted with a fire at the entrance to the flat.
The officers tried to gain entry to the property to get the occupant to safety but were overcome by the fire.
One of the officers who went into the flat to try and save the male suffered serious burns and remains in hospital.
As the fire took further hold of the flat, the occupant fell from the window and died.
Around 100 residents were evacuated from the block as nearly 30 firefighters worked to bring the blaze under control.
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