A MAN was found dead in his home after it caught fire in the early hours.

Bryan May, 41, was killed by the blaze at his house in Princess Street, Nelson, on Saturday morning.

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A joint police and fire investigation has been launched into the cause of the fire, which caused extensive damage to the terraced house and smoke damage to houses next door.

Mr May, who is believed to have worked from home buying and selling goods online, is thought to have family in Liverpool.

Neighbour Raja Khan said: “We heard a noise like there were things being moved around and something was banging by our wall.

“I went round to ask him to keep the noise down but he did not answer. Then we started to get a smell of smoke in the house and it just got too much so I rang the fire brigade and they came.

“By the time the fire brigade came it was too late.

“The smell had got really bad in here and we were coughing. We had to move the children into another room.”

The Lancashire Telegraph understands there were obstacles behind the door that slowed fire crews entering the property.

Mr Khan, who shares his home with his wife and five children, said: “They put the water pipes through my house because they could not get in through his front door. There were two fire engines and five or six police cars. We did not sleep until 4am or 5am as the police came round to ask questions.”

Mr Khan added he had known his neighbour since he moved in about seven years ago.

He said: “He was a very gentle man who minded his own business.

“He lived on his own and was very quiet.”

Another neighbour, Irene Lunney, said she was shocked to hear of Mr May’s death.

She said: “It is so sad. He used to say ‘hello’ and ‘good morning’ when I saw him. He seemed a nice man to me.”

A spokesman for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said: “A joint fire and police investigation is now taking place.”