A vulnerable man died following a fire in his flat despite social services knowing he was a risk for a year.

It is the second time in three months a person has died in a fire following warnings to Sutton Council about their behaviour.

Neighbours say Andrew Kirby, 58, had severe mental problems and would often start fires in his Rose Hill flat and that his behaviour had been reported to Sutton Council as risk to himself and others.

But, despite the warnings, Mr Kirby, a father-of-one, died after a fire broke out in his flat in Goodson House, Green Lane, on Saturday morning.

Neighbours have said more should have been done to protect Mr Kirby, and other residents he put at risk. He had once put lit matches through a fellow residents letter box.

Mr Kirby, who had lived in the block of flats for several years, was baldly burned and suffered severe smoke inhalation. He was rushed to hospital but died from his injuries on Sunday
His death follows that of pensioner Jed Edge who was killed in a fire in his Benhill Wood Road flat in April.

An investigation was launched after it was revealed the council had been made aware Mr Edge was at risk in the days running up to his death.

The council has pledged to follow-up Mr Kirby's death with a similar investigation to find out what went wrong.

It declined to comment on whether the two deaths could mean a weakness in its adult protection service.

Saturday's fire broke out just before 10am and firefighters were on the scene until 4pm making sure the blaze, which gutted the third storey flat, was completely out.

Neighbour Zeynep Yuksel lives directly opposite Mr Kirby's flat. She said: "I was really scared, it was the scariest thing I've ever been through in my life.

"I'd been doing some cleaning with my music on, I was getting ready to go to the [Epsom] Derby with my friends when there was knocking at the door. I thought it was Andrew so I ignored it but it carried on. I went and it was a stranger saying there was a fire and then I saw all the smoke. I was just so scared that I gave the man a bucket and then just ran to my room to call my mum. I was so frightened I couldn't leave.

"That stranger saved my life. I want to find him to say thank you to him."

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The view from Zeynep Yuksel's flat where she was trapped for three hours during the fire

Miss Yuksel was trapped in her flat for several hours while firefighters put out the blaze and paramedics attended to Mr Kirby on the landing outside her door.

She added: "We've had problems with Andrew for a while. About a year ago he set fire to his flat and my ex-partner had to put it out. We told social services then.

"Since then he urinated through my letter box and I had to remove the carpet, then he put lit matches through my letter box but, luckily, because there was no carpet it didn't start a fire.

"Only two days before the fire he started another fire in the flat.

"I'm so sad that he's died this way but I can't understand why he wasn't moved out or why, if he couldn't be moved out, I wasn't moved out."

Sutton Council has promised a full investigation. A spokesman said: "Our condolences go to his family and friends. There was social support arranged for Mr Kirby to help meet his needs."

Mental health charity Mind said it is vital that people who have mental health problems get the help they need. Head of policy and campaigns Vicki Nash said: "‘We were very sad to hear of the tragic death of Mr Kirby. Early intervention is key to ensuring that people with mental health problems get the help and support they need at the appropriate time.

"Sadly, we know that provision of mental health services is inconsistent across the country. We need to see greater investment in crisis services so that everyone is able to access a choice of good quality, joined up services."