A WIRRAL dad had been working on a friend’s house when he died in a fire, an inquest heard.

Maxwell Lewis Grey, of Orrysdale Road, West Kirby, was rushed to hospital following the blaze on July 23 but sadly died in the accident and emergency department.

The inquest into his death, which was opened by Wirral coroner Christopher Johnson on Friday, was told how the 34-year-old was discovered unresponsive by fire crews at the property in Rock Bank, Upton.

Coroner’s officer Arthur Flower said: “The deceased had been completing work on a driveway at the home of a friend.

"On the morning of July 23, he had been dropped off near the address and at around 7.50pm neighbours noted smoke emulating from the front window of the premises and the emergency services were informed.

“Having forced entry, personnel from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service found the seat of the couch on fire and the deceased was located unresponsive in the kitchen.

“The doors to the property were locked and he was removed from the premises.”

Mr Flower added that paramedics began resuscitation attempts and he was taken to Arrowe Park Hospital. However despite continued attempts, there was no response and Mr Grey was pronounced dead just before 8.50pm.

A post-mortem examination revealed the provisional cause of death to be smoke inhalation.

The inquest was adjourned until a date to be fixed.