Christmas Day fire death inquiry

Fire investigators have been trying to establish the cause of the fire

An inquiry has begun into a fatal house fire on Christmas Day in which one person died.

Police have been trying to establish the identity of the victim, who is thought to be male.

Five adults were evacuated from the three-storey terrace house in Fearon Road, Portsmouth, after the fire started at about 0400 GMT.

Officers from Hampshire Constabulary have been working to trace the family of the victim.

It took 30 firefighters more than three hours to tackle the flames, which severely damaged the first and second floors.

It was hours before officers were able to remove the body because it was not safe to go inside the building, which is divided into flats.

Investigators have been searching the site for clues to the cause of the fire.

The five people who were evacuated from the building were taken to temporary accommodation.