Man dies as kitchen blaze engulfs house

A man in his 40s has died in a fire which police believe started in the kitchen of a house.

The blaze was spotted at the property on Park Road in the village of Witton Park, near Bishop Auckland in County Durham, at 08:15 BST on Friday.

Firefighters entered the building and pulled the man out but, despite efforts to save his life, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Durham Police said early investigations suggested no suspicious circumstances but an inquiry into the cause was continuing.

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