Firefighter hero Jim Shears was "an amazing dad and husband"

The wife of Poole firefighter Jim Shears, 35, has paid a heartbreaking tribute to her brave husband after he died battling a tower block inferno in Southampton.

Carla Shears, 33, lived with Jim and their two children, Frankie, five, and Ruben, four, in Oakdale. Jim was one of two Hampshire Fire and Rescue firefighters killed in the 15-storey Shirley Towers building on Tuesday night.

The other was 38-year-old Alan Bannon, Mrs Shears said Jim, an instructor with Corfe Mullen-based Wessex Judo Club, was “an amazing dad and an amazing husband”.

“Everyone who knew him loved him,” she said.

A firefighter walks past floral tributes left at the scene

“He liked to take care of other people. He was a wonderful, wonderful man in every way.”

Yesterday in Parliament all three party leaders paid tribute to the dead men. Gordon Brown said: “We are sadly reminded of the sacrifice made by our emergency services, and we send our condolences to the family and friends of the two brave firemen who died.”

Jim was a world champion judo ace, winning gold at the World Firefighters Championships in 2004 and 2008.

The second dan black belt instructor had excelled as a junior, when he was selected for the national squad, and later won national championship medals at senior level.

Family friends Brian, Carole, Jo and Simon Parry offered their deepest condolences and said they hoped Jim’s “valiant bravery and selfless service of others” would act as a comfort to his family.

Jim served Hampshire Fire and Rescue for almost seven years and was a member of Red Watch at St Mary’s station in Southampton.

THE blaze at the high-rise tower block in the Shirley district of Southampton broke out just after 8pm on Tuesday night.

More than 70 firefighters were needed to tackle the flames at Shirley Towers on Church Street. The fire took around four hours to bring under control.

All residents, including one heavily pregnant woman, were either evacuated or led to safety.

The fire started in flat 72, a two-bedroom maisonette, of the 15-storey block. Two other firefighters suffered minor burns to their hands in the blaze.

Hampshire Police and the fire service have launched a joint investigation into the incident.

John Bonney, chief officer for Hampshire Fire and Rescue, said it was “not appropriate” to speculate about the circumstances leading to the firefighters’ deaths.

However, there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances.

Paying tribute to the pair of fallen firefighters, chief fire officer John Bonney praised their “courage, dedication and service”.

Dorset Fire and Rescue Service chief officer Darran Gunter has written to Mr Bonney “to pass on our deepest condolences”.

He said: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and loved ones and everyone in Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service.”

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