A MAN died in a fire caused by a candle which toppled over as he slept. Mark Brady, aged 39, was dragged unconscious from his fume-filled flat by firefighters. Ambulance paramedics and firemen tried to revive him on the pavement outside his home in Park Road, Bolton, but, despite their frantic efforts, he was found to be dead on arrival at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

His death comes only weeks after a fire chief warned about the dangers of candles being used to light homes. The warning followed two serious house fires sparked by candles.

Firefighters were called to the latest tragedy at an upstairs flat in Park Road at 2am today when a neighbour smelled smoke and raised the alarm

Firefighters, wearing breathing apparatus, forced their way into the smokelogged flat and dragged Mr Brady out of the inferno.

A specially trained fire service "trauma technician" attempted to resuscitate Mr Brady before ambulance paramedics arrived at the scene. This morning a neighbour said: "We are shocked. I was woken up at about 2am by a woman banging on my window saying there was a fire in one of the flats.

"Everyone was awake and gathered round the house. It is always sad when someone young dies like this."

It was the second blaze at the home in recent weeks. A carelessly discarded cigarette sparked a blaze at Mr Brady's home earlier this year.

A next door neighbour is believed to have discovered the smoke and alerted fire crews.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.