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FOLKESTONE FIRE 'HERO' DIES FOLLOWING TUNNEL BLAZE

A railwayman working on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, who suffered serious burns when fire broke out on a maintenance train has died at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex.

50 year old Douglas Lynch, from Folkestone lost his fight for life yesterday (20 August), four days after the fire, which also killed his colleague.

The blaze started a mile inside a tunnel under the Thames between Swanscombe, Kent and Thurrock, on the Essex side of the river. 

A statement from the family said: "We understand Dougie brought his locomotive to a stop while engulfed in fire, preventing it colliding or causing catastrophic damage anywhere else in the tunnel."

Mr Lynch apparently stayed with the train to prevent a major incident for which his colleagues have called him 'a hero'.

An investigation into the cause of the fire has been launched.