A MAN who was badly injured trying to save three children who died
when fire swept through their home was last night ''critically ill'' in
hospital.
Mr Trevor Cuzner, 39, suffered serious burns as he battled through
flames yesterday in an attempt to reach the children, son Martyn 11, and
two foster children, a boy aged four and his three-year-old sister.
His wife Jenny and daughter Tanya, 12, who escaped by jumping from a
first-floor window of the house in Lancing, Sussex, were last night said
to be ''stable'' in Worthing Hospital, West Sussex.
Mr Cuzner, who works with British Rail, was eventually forced to give
up his rescue bid by diving head-first through a first-floor window.
Firemen said they had begged him to jump. At first he refused and made
several attempts to reach the children.
The two foster children who died came from the Croydon area of Surrey.
They had been living with the Cuzner family for two months after being
made wards of court. It is understood the family were hoping to adopt
them.
A Croydon social services spokesman said they had broken the news of
the children's deaths to their mother, but were still trying to contact
the father.
The Cuzner family were members of the local Baptist church.
The family's minister, the Rev Max Donald, said last night: ''They are
a lovely family and the two youngest children were fitting in
beautifully. This is a great tragedy.''
The results of forensic tests into the cause of the blaze are expected
today but police said there were no suspicious circumstances.
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