Firemen died trying to save woman

The men died of "thermal injury" after being overcome by heat

Two firemen went into a burning flat in a tower block to rescue the occupants despite having no water to tackle the flames, an inquest has been told.

Firemen Jeff Wornham, 28, and Michael Miller, 26, died as they battled to save Natalie Close, 32, who was trapped in a 14th storey flat in Stevenage.

Hatfield Coroner's Court heard that a water outlet on the 15th floor had been chained and padlocked against vandals.

Colleagues of the firemen told of the moment they realised they had no water.

Mr Wornham died after becoming entangled in cables in the lobby of the flat in Harrow Court following the incident in February 2005.

Mr Miller was found near to the body of Ms Close.

Firefighter Helen Antrobus said that on arrival outside the flat, she carried the hosepipe to a "dry riser water outlet" located in a staircase.

'Needed bolt cutters'

The inquest has been told that, in the event of a fire in the tower block, water could be pumped into a main on the ground floor, which could then be pumped up to dry riser outlets on each floor.

Ms Antrobus told coroner Edward Thomas that when she reached the dry riser she found a chain "which obviously concerned me because I couldn't break it... I needed bolt cutters".

High riser outlets would normally be secured with a strap which could then be cut with a knife, the hearing was told.

"The area was filling quickly with smoke and Jeff and Michael were not there," she said.

Ms Antrobus said that when she left her colleagues by the door, her last words to them had been "think about how you are going to break in, I will get some water".

The fire began when two burning tealight-type candles were placed on top of a portable television set in the room.

The inquest continues.