A man has spoken of how he rescued two people from a house fire in Keston, in which another man sadly died.
The first floor blaze happened in Leaves Green Road at about 6.40am last Friday.
A man believed to be in his 70s, named locally as Charlie Gosling, was pronounced dead at the scene. Next of kin have been informed.
Two men, aged 63 and 64, have been arrested and released on bail until March.
Tim Hall was driving down the road to drop his partner off at Orpington station when he noticed smoke coming from the house.
The 43-year-old, of Main Road, Biggin Hill, stopped his car and called the fire brigade, but as the blaze took hold he felt he had to check if anyone was inside.
Tim Hall
He told News Shopper: "I went up to the house and was banging on the door.
"I could see a dog barking at the window. I broke the front room window to try and grab the dog but it ran back into the house.
"I saw an elderly man at the back of house. I called out but couldn't get a response.
"I thought 'I've got to get in there'. I went round the back of the house to try to get to him."
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Mr Hall, who works around the corner at Automotive Repair Systems in Shire Lane, forced his way into the house, found the man and helped him out of the building.
The paint repair process manager said: "I got in and grabbed the guy and got him out.
"I said: 'Is there anyone left in the house?' He said 'yes'.
"I went back in a second time. My partner was worried so she was calling me.
"From the front she could see the intensity of the flames. She said it was like looking into a furnace.
The house where the fire happened
"I found another man who was on a couch. He said: 'my brother Charlie is upstairs'.
"I got him out and went up to the top of the stairs. The first floor was from floor to ceiling with smoke."
At this point the dog ran back into house, followed by one of the men Mr Hall had rescued.
He went back downstairs to get them both outside but, despite making one last attempt to enter, it was too dangerous to return.
He added: "If I'd gone back in I would have done an injury to myself.
"I went back outside and that was when the first of the fire brigade arrived."
Floral tributes have been left at the scene
The Brigade battled the fire for the next hour-and-a-half, and had it under control at 8.20am.
Four fire engines and 21 firefighters from Biggin Hill, Addington and Bromley fire stations attended.
Half of the first floor was damaged.
The London Ambulance Service also attended and treated one man for smoke inhalation.
The fire is being treated as unexplained and enquiries by Bromley police continue.
Any witnesses or anyone with any information can call police via 101 Crimestoppers anonymously 0800 555 111 or at crimestoppers-uk.org.
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