14 July 2013 Updated at 18:12
A Manchester fire fighter has died following a blaze at a premises on Oldham Street, Manchester. Two 15 year old giirls have been arrested by Police on suspicion of manslaughter.
Stephen Hunt, 38 was a member of the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service. He was stationed at Philips Park fire station. It is beleived Stephen and another fire fighter got into difficulty at about 8.30pm. They were both taken to hospital, where Stephen was pronounced dead.
County Fire Officer Steve McGuirk said: “We are devastated by the loss of one of our colleagues who has died in the line of duty. “We never expect to lose a colleague in this way and it brings home the dangers that our firefighters put themselves in every day to keep the community safe. “Stephen had been a dedicated firefighter since 2008 and we are all in a state of shock”
Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said: “There is a great feeling of solidarity amongst firefighters as a result of the job that they do and the risks that they face and this will be keenly felt by firefighters across the UK and indeed internationally.”
