A man fell to his death from a burning block after police arrived to search for a suspected arsonist.
Five police officers tried to enter the property to save the 50-year-old man, but were engulfed in flames, police said.
A police officer suffered severe burns and was hospitalized on Friday. The others were treated for “minor injuries and smoke inhalation” and were discharged while a firefighter was being treated by paramedics at the scene, Bedfordshire police said.
Detectives investigated three attempts to set fire to a property in Luton in the early hours of Wednesday and used CCTV footage to identify the suspect.
Officers were sent to a 15-story apartment building in Green Court at about 4 a.m. Thursday, but arrived and found the entrance on fire.
Emergency services were called, but police said “the fire engulfed the apartment” before the man fell out of a window.
Assistant Chief of Staff Sharne Basra said: “This is a tragic case and we are working hard to establish all the facts about what happened.
“Our focus on Thursday was on identifying the deceased man and tracing his family members before releasing any additional information to the public.
“We also carefully extracted all possible evidence from the scene and helped the residents who were displaced from their homes. What is clear from the evidence gathered so far is the courage of the police officer present, who tried to fight through the flames to save the man inside.
“Our thoughts remain with him as he recovers in hospital and with the relatives of the man who unfortunately died.”
The man has not been officially identified yet, and his relatives have been notified, the forces added.
The case was referred to the Independent Police Conduct Service. More than 100 residents were evacuated from the building on Thursday morning, with most being sent back to their apartments by evening.
Luton’s council said there was no indication that the cladding was a factor in the fire.
The commander of the Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, Stuart Oger, said: “The fire was successfully contained in the apartment thanks to the effective implementation of fire safety measures on the building and fire doors.
“Thanks to this, we were able to work with the police in Bedfordshire to effectively evacuate all residents of the building with the help of smoke hoods.
“Our thoughts are with the loved ones of the man who unfortunately died and we will work with partners to reassure the community in the coming weeks and months.”
Anyone with information that could help the police investigation has been asked to call 101 or contact the forces via beds.police.uk/ro/report, citing Operation Cheagle.
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