TWO firefighters killed tackling a blaze in a Southampton tower block were the first sent in to fight the flames consuming the ninth-floor flat, an inquest heard.

A hearing into the deaths of James Shears from Poole and Alan Bannon from Bitterne was formally opened yesterday, and was told the initial team of four men sent in to Shirley Towers all quickly got into difficulties because of the intense fire.

But police revealed the investigation into exactly what happened 10 days ago will take several months, with detectives still waiting to interview some witnesses.

Southampton coroner Keith Wiseman adjourned the inquest until the official inquiry, being conducted by police, Hampshire Fire and Rescue and the Health and Safety Executive, has been completed.

Mr Wiseman said: “Both these young men were firefighters who died in the course of duty and I think it’s important at even this early stage that I express my very sincere condolences to the families in the losses they have suffered.

“It serves as a reminder of the real risk frontline workers run in dealing with instances like this on our behalf.”

Mr Bannon, 38, and Mr Shears, 35, were both members of Red Watch at St Mary’s in Southampton.

Their crew arrived at Shirley Towers, in Church Street, at approximately 8.17pm – eight minutes after the first emergency call reporting the blaze in flat 72.

The couple who live in the flat, Karl and Kirsty Hoffmann, have told how the fire started after a curtain was left on a lamp.

Det Chief Insp Chris Fitchet told the court: “Firefighters Shears and Bannon were admitted to the scene of the fire in the company of two colleagues, all wearing breathing apparatus.

“During the course of the firefighting all four got into difficulties and firefighters Shears and Bannon were overcome by heat.

“They were recovered by colleagues.

“Firefighter Shears was taken to Southampton General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10.35pm.”

Det Chief Insp Fitchet added that Firefighter Bannon was pronounced dead at the scene at 10.10pm.

He said post-mortems revealed both men died of exposure to excessive heat.

Home Office pathologist Dr Huw White found both had suffered arrhythmia – irregular heartbeats – and had died as a result of hyperthermia, an extreme condition where the body produces or absorbs more heat than it can cope with.