Llanrwst fire survivor's failed rescue bid

The only survivor of a fire in the Conwy Valley has described how he tried and failed to save the two who died.

Garry Lloyd Jones, 48, lost his partner, Bernard Hender, 19, and business partner Doug McTavish, 39, in the flat fire in Llanrwst.

He said he was awoken by smoke at around 06:00 BST last Friday and tried to pull Mr Hender out while screaming for Mr McTavish.

An investigation found the fire started in a tumble dryer.

Speaking to the Newyddion 9 programme, Mr Lloyd Jones described how he was woken by the smell of smoke in the flat the men shared above his undertaker business.

He went to the front of the flat to investigate but was nearly overwhelmed by the smoke which followed behind him.

"The speed of it is unbelievable" he said,

"I grabbed hold of Bernard in the back bedroom and pulled him out of bed. The smoke was increasing.

"I tried to get him towards the door and I had to crawl onto the floor because there was a gap of oxygen at the bottom.

The fire started in a tumble dryer in the flat

"And I couldn't get him out. I tried to shout to Doug to scream 'Fire get out, get out.' But unfortunately they didn't make it."

No smoke alarms were installed in the flat. Mr Lloyd Jones warned of their importance.

"I would encourage anyone, get a fire alarm, make sure that battery's working in it, lives could have been saved had we had fire alarms fitted here," he added.

Mr McTavish's funeral will be held on Friday and Mr Hender's held the following Friday.

Fire crews were called to the town centre flat early last Friday