Mobile Home Blaze Deaths

FIRE crews from Littlehampton and Arundel were called to a fire at a mobile home in Ford in which a man and his dog died.

The fire, which killed 77-year-old Leonard Mizen, started in the early hours of Friday morning at the home he shared with his wife at The Willows, and was not thought to have been started deliberately.

Mr Mizen's wife managed to escape the blaze and was rushed to St Richard's Hospital, Chichester, to be treated for shock.

Station officer Peter Martin, of West Sussex Fire Brigade, said on Friday morning: "We would urge any people who live in these properties or who intend to stay in them for their holidays to buy themselves some extra time and buy themselves a smoke detector."

The fire had apparently taken hold very quickly and the mobile home was soon completely destroyed.

The fire crews' main concern was to make the area safe, which they did by moving flammable gas canisters away from the scene.

A post-mortem examination was carried out earlier this week on Mr Mizen and a forensic team from London came down to check the scene.

Detective Inspector Paul Williams, leading the investigation, said he was satisfied there were no suspicious circumstances.