An off-duty firefighter has died trying to help members of his family escape from a fire at their house in East Sussex.

Alex Kent, 25, was killed after alerting his parents to the fire at the family home in Crowborough, East Sussex.

Mr Kent had gone back into the burning building in an attempt to rescue his 23-year-old brother, Phil.

The firefighter's colleagues from Crowborough fire station attempted to resuscitate the brothers but both men died after being taken to hospital.

We believe that Alex acted in and upheld the best traditions of the British fire service Chief Fire Officer Des Prichard

Alex Kent had woken his parents, Janet and Richard, after hearing a smoke alarm at 0225 GMT on Wednesday.

He then tried to reach his brother who was asleep in an upstairs bedroom of the property, but they were trapped by a fireball so intense that it caused the roof of the house to collapse.

Chief Fire Officer Des Prichard praised the actions of Mr Kent who is the first Sussex firefighter to die in service for 25 years.

Parents 'traumatised'

Mr Prichard said: "I have served for 26 years and this is one of the most severe property fires I have seen.

"We believe that Alex acted in and upheld the best traditions of the British fire service and sadly lost his life in an attempt to save others."

Four of the 30 firefighters who attended the incident were injured.

Trevor Funnell, Peter Thorogood and Kim Sawyer suffered burns which required hospital treatment.

Leading firefighter John Haizelden, who had climbed a ladder in the hope of rescuing someone from the rear bedroom, was treated for smoke inhalation.

Richard and Janet Kent escaped with minor injuries but were described as being "deeply traumatised".

An investigation into the cause of the fire concluded that it was accidental.