A MAN died in a house fire due to an accident, an inquest has ruled.

Bryan Chinnery, 78, died in February after the fire in Ferndale Road, Rayleigh.

At an inquest held yesterday, Senior Coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray recorded that his death had been the result of an accident.

Fire crews and neighbours of Mr Chinnery battled to save him.

However, the ground floor of the house was too smoke logged and blocked by the flames for them to pull him out of the property and he sadly died.

Essex Fire and Rescue Service had previously concluded the cause of the fire was accidental.