House fire claims second victim

The fire caused severe damage to the house

A second person has died after a fire which injured four other people at a house in Leicester.

The 78-year-old man died overnight after being seriously hurt in the blaze at the property on Heyford Road in Braunstone early on Tuesday.

Deanne Harcourt, 22, died in hospital on Tuesday. A 60-year-old woman, a boy, 4, and a girl, 2, are stable at Leicester Royal Infirmary.

A girl, eight, is in a children's hospital in a critical condition.

'Severe fire'

Firefighters entered the property on Tuesday to rescue the six occupants, who were treated at the scene by paramedics.

Ms Harcourt was taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary where she died from smoke inhalation, a post-mortem examination revealed.

The man, 78, was taken to hospital in a critical condition but died later.

Leicestershire Police and fire officials have begun an investigation into the cause of the fire.

Chief Fire Officer David Webb from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue said the fire caused extensive damage.