POLICE are investigating the cause of a house fire in Newport after which a man died yesterday morning.

Fire broke out in the ground-floor living-room at a house in Blake Road, Lliswerry, at around 9.20am.

Police said a 31-year-old man, the father of a young child, was rescued, and later died of smoke inhalation at the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport.

The man has not yet been officially named by police, but he was identified by neighbours as Julian Davies, who lived with his partner and their baby.

He was the only person in the property at the time of the fire.

Neighbours spotted smoke pouring from the eaves of the terrace house, and called the emergency services.

Assistant divisional officer Paul Mason, of the South Wales Fire Service, said firefighters using breathing apparatus forced their way into the house.

He said: "We searched the premises and found a male in the upstairs bathroom. He was brought outside, where resuscitation took place prior to an ambulance arriving."

The man was taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport, where he later died of smoke inhalation.

A number of neighbours were evacuated for a short time while firefighters battled the blaze.

Inspector Rod Grindley, of Alway police, said the fire is not being treated as suspicious, but a joint police and fire service investigation is under way to determine its cause.

Shocked neighbours say Mr Davies was a "pleasant, quiet man" who "kept to himself".

Neighbour Connie Pring, 76, said she saw Mr Davies earlier that morning.

"I went to the shop at about eight o'clock and we walked back together," she said.

"He has only been living here a few weeks, but he is a very pleasant young man, always very polite.

"I could smell smoke in my kitchen. But I turned everything off just in case and then I realised it was coming from next door.

"I'm shocked, to say the least, especially as I had only spoken to him a few hours earlier. It's terrible."