The neighbours of Mr Radcliffe jumped through his front window to try and save his life.
The neighbours of a man who died following a house fire in Seven Kings tried to save him by jumping into the burning building and dragging him from his armchair.
Firefighters were called to the blaze in Herbert Road at around 5pm on Thursday, but before the fire brigade arrived the next-door neighbours risked their lives to save Patrick Radcliffe, who was in his 80s.
Sadly he died this morning.
Andrius Savickas had been sitting in his front room when he heard the front window of Mr Radcliffe’s house break due to the heat, and still in his flip-flops he ran out to see what had happened.
He saw the blaze and ran back into his house to put his shoes on - before jumping through the front window of his neighbour’s house and being met with huge billows of smoke.
He said: “I just jumped in and pushed all the things on the floor aside.
“It felt like I couldn’t breathe and I just jumped back outside.”
Gintaras Dambrauskas is married to Andrius’s cousin, and said he was in his gym in his backyard when he heard his wife screaming “fire, fire!”
He dashed into Mr Radcliffe’s house and dragged him from his armchair.
He said that it looked like a small fire but the house was filled with smoke.
Gintaras then lifted Mr Radcliffe onto the windowsill and Andrius pulled him out of the house.
Other neighbours were outside watching, and one of them tried to help by bringing a blanket for him.
The fire brigade and ambulance services were on their way while Andrius and Gintaras tried their best to save Mr Radcliffe.
Mr Radcliffe suffered 70per cent burns to his body and later died in hospital.
Gintaras said: “We just acted on instinct and we had to do something.
“Itt was horrible.
“If you think you can do something to help then you just have to do it.”
Andrius said: “I thought that he might make it.
“When I dragged him out his eyes were moving up and down.
“It is devastating.”
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.
Police were also called to the scene at around 5pm, and Herbert Road was closed while LFB dealt with the incident.
Enquiries continue into the circumstances of the fire.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here