Hero ran into burning house to save his brother before dying in the inferno

03 December 2023 , 19:45

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The house was left a burned-out shell by the blaze (Image: Ben Lack Photography Ltd)

A man who died after running into a burning house to save his brother who had already escaped has been hailed as a "hero".

The tragic mix-up happened because fearless Mohsin Janjua, 28, did not realise his sibling had already escaped the inferno by climbing to safety through a back window of the terraced property in Bradford, West Yorkshire. Brother Faisal Janjua wanted to rush back into the home to help but had injured his leg while jumping out the window.

Mohsin was trapped in the flames for nearly 20 minutes before being overcome by fire and smoke and Faisal and their neighbours were forced to watch in horror as the family home was engulfed by flames and left a burned-out shell. Firefighters on the scene went into the smoking wreckage to pull out Mohsin but he was pronounced dead.

Mohsin Janjua was trapped in the blazing inferno (Ben Lack Photography Ltd)

The horrific incident occurred in Finch Street, in the Little Horton area of the city, around 5am on Saturday and Mohsin's lifelong friend Leo Whyte, who lives in the street, said: "He died a hero. I woke up at 4am and heard a massive crash and screaming. I ran downstairs and saw an orange glow coming through the windows.

"I went outside to see the whole house on fire. Moshin told us 'I'm going in, my brother is in there'. There was no stopping him. He did not know Faisal had jumped out of the window at the other side. Faisal wanted to go back in when he realised what Moshin had done but he had injured his leg when escaping. Moshin was in the house for about 15-20 minutes. It is just so gut-wrenching."

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Leo, 25, said Moshin had been a "lifelong friend" since school, adding: "I have known him since I was four years old. He was a really good lad – an angel. A happy-go-lucky person. Everyone liked him. He always would say hello and look after me in school. He would do anything for anyone. He was such a nice kid." And another friend who used to accompany him to the mosque on a Friday said: "He was a diamond. I last spoke to him a few hours before it happened. What a man he was for going in there. He's gone in to save his family."

West Yorkshire Police said: "At 5.31am on Saturday, police were contacted by the fire service who were attending a fire at a house in Finch Street, Bradford. A man, a woman, and a child had managed to escape from the property and were taken to hospital for treatment. Their injuries were not life-threatening.

"A second man was brought out of the address by firefighters and was treated by paramedics but was pronounced dead at the scene.

A scene is in place at the address and police are working with fire service investigators to establish the exact cause of the fire which is not believed to be suspicious."

Paul Donald