Neighbours and friends have paid tribute to a “kind and quiet man” who died following a fire at his house in Seven Kings yesterday.

Ilford Recorder: The scene of the house fire in Herbert Road, Seven Kings, where a man has died of his injuries.The scene of the house fire in Herbert Road, Seven Kings, where a man has died of his injuries. (Image: Archant)

Patrick Radcliffe, believed to be in his 80s, died in hospital this morning.

Neighbours had rescued him from the blaze at his home in Herbert Road yesterday (Thursday, November 1).

Nazreen Khan, 46, lives a few doors away from Mr Radcliffe, and said that he was a quiet man and she would often say hello to him.

She said: “At times like this you wish you knew more about somebody.

Ilford Recorder: The scene of the house fire in Herbert Road, Seven Kings, where a man has died of his injuries.The scene of the house fire in Herbert Road, Seven Kings, where a man has died of his injuries. (Image: Archant)

“I didn’t know him very well, but whenever I saw him he would say hello.

“He kept himself to himself but he was a nice old man.”

Marjorie Jordan, 70, knew Mr Radcliffe for more than 50 years, and paid tribute to a “very nice and quiet man”.

She said he had lived there his whole life, and that he used to live with his sister, but she died about five years ago.

Ilford Recorder: The scene of the house fire in Herbert Road, Seven Kings, where a man has died of his injuries.The scene of the house fire in Herbert Road, Seven Kings, where a man has died of his injuries. (Image: Archant)

He was known along the street, and his little cat would sit on his windowsill keeping a lookout for him - according to his neighbour.

She said: “He was a kind man and I can’t believe that he has died so soon like that.

“He had a little cat and he was always going out and about.

“He used to spend quite a bit of time with his plants in his garden too.

“I can’t believe it, I can see him now coming out of his house, it’s just so, so, so sad.”

Kevin Banville, 90, and his wife, Mary Theresa, 80, have known Patrick for most of their lives.

Kevin said: “He was a lovely chap and a good friend.

“He was a hell of a nice man.

“He used to be out watering his plants, he would bid you the time of the day and that was it.”

Mr Watson, 23, who lives opposite where the fire happened, said he was at work yesterday, but heard about the sad news this morning.

He has lived there all his life and said Mr Radcliffe was one of those neighbours that you speak to from time to time,

He said: “We would always say hello, and every now and again when I saw him we would just talk about whatever is in the news.

“I think he’s been living there for more than 60 years, but he has been living on his own for some time.”

Andrius Savickas, and Gintaras Dambrauskas lived next door to Mr Radcliffe.

Gintaras said he and Mr Radcliffe would exchange Christmas cards and that he was a “lovely man” who spent most of his time on his own.

He said: “I don’t know if he had any other family.

“He was nice and we would speak when we saw each other.

“Yesterday was a very sad day for us.”

Firefighters were called at 4.48pm to Herbert Road and four fire engines went to tackle the blaze that was put out just before 6.20pm – 20per cent of the ground floor of the house was damaged by fire.

Mr Radcliffe was taken to hospital with severe burns and later died in hospital.