THE FAMILY of a hero firefighter killed battling a devastating tower block inferno are still waiting for answers over his death one year on.

Married father-of-two Jim Shears, from Poole, was one of two Hampshire firemen who died after rushing to help residents caught up in the 15-storey Shirley Towers fire in Southampton.

Jim, who was described as “an amazing dad and husband” lived in Oakdale with his wife Carla and their two young children, Frankie and Ruben.

As the tragedy’s one year anniversary is marked with a memorial service and two-minutes’ silence tomorrow, police are still investigating the deaths of Jim, 35, and his 38-year-old colleague Alan Bannon, it has emerged.

Jim’s younger brother, Gary, told the Daily Echo: “The investigation is taking too long.

“We are not looking for anyone to blame and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, especially red watch, have been really supportive, but things still feel up in the air with regard to this investigation.”

A post mortem soon after the tragedy revealed both men died from exposure to excessive heat.

The Shears family are in regular touch with red watch at Southampton’s St Mary’s fire station, where Jim and Alan worked.

“The guys are great, they are really good. If we want to ask a question or find anything out there are people always available,” said Gary.

“We have been dealt with very professionally and in the fire service’s defence, not long after Jim died, they told us the investigation was going to be a long one.

“But that doesn’t make the wait any easier.”

The fire service, police and Health and Safety Executive are all preparing files for the coroner, but it is not known when these will be completed.

However, Gary – who will be joining his family for the two-minutes’ silence at St Mary’s fire station tomorrow – thinks they may never know exactly what happened.

“The way we see it, it was an accident. He was in a line of work where you could lose your life. It was one of the possible consequences of being a firefighter,” he said.

“Based on what we have learned about the investigations so far, it might well be that we never know exactly what happened.

“The only people that knew what went on in that part of the building would have been James and Alan.”

Gary, who recently became a father for the first time – naming his son James after his big brother – said the anniversary was a difficult time for the family.

“They say time is a great healer, but I think it takes a lot longer than a year. It is definitely easier now than it was though.

“I try to think about the good times.”