A COMMUNITY is in shock after a house fire left a long-time village resident dead.

The 88-year-old man, who died after the blaze in Haworth yesterday, has been named locally as Bramwell Schofield.

Mr Schofield died in hospital soon after being rescued from his smoke-filled home in Alice Street.

He is believed to have lived alone in the terraced cul-de-sac off Rosslyn Grove in the Coldshaw area of the village.

Haworth parish councillor Alan Watts yesterday spoke of his shock to discover what had happened to his long-time acquaintance.

He said: “I’m stunned that he’s died. I’ve known him for ages. He went to school with my dad.

“He’s lived in Haworth as long as I remember, and I’ve lived here all my life. I was a painter and decorator before I retired and I used to do Bramwell’s decorating.

“He used to walk all over the place, he would walk down to the shop every morning to get his newspaper.

“I used to see him every day and give him a lift back up to his house, but I haven’t seen him for a few weeks.”

Firefighters raced to Mr Schofield’s property in Alice Street at around 9am, and police and paramedics were also called.

Paramedics treated two people, and the street was cordoned off while fire and police officers carried out investigations.

Police said that the man, who was rescued from his house by emergency services, had died shortly afterwards in hospital. They were not able to confirm his identity at this stage.

Cllr Watts, who lives nearby, said he had been alerted to the blaze by sirens as emergency vehicles raced along Sun Street.

He walked to be scene to take photographs, arriving within about 15 minutes, and found that Alice Street was already cordoned off by police.

Cllr Watts said: “They had managed to get the fire out. There were three fire engines, two ambulances and about four police vehicles.”

Cllr Watts said he saw Mr Schofield on the ground being given CPR and oxygen by emergency workers, before he was taken to hospital by ambulance.

Police said that at this time the fire was not being treated as suspicious, and enquiries were continuing. The cause of the fire has not been released.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Bradford District CID on the police non-emergency number of 101.

Soon after the incident yesterday, Haworth parish councillor Angel Kershaw tweeted that she had seen two fire engines and three police vehicles heading up Bridgehouse Lane, Haworth, with lights and sirens.

At the time she tweeted: “Sincerely praying no-one seriously hurt!”