AN elderly man in a wheelchair man has died in Perth’s northern suburbs while trying to rescue his pet birds from a house fire.

Police said the fire started just after midnight at a duplex home in Nollamara, and that initially the two men inside had escaped.

However, one of them returned to the house to try to save his three pet birds trapped inside and was overcome by smoke.

The man, believed to be 66, was later dragged by firefighters from the laundry of the Homeswest property, but could not be revived.

A post-mortem will be conducted to confirm his identity, but he is believed to be the main resident, while the other man was believed to have been visiting him.

A neighbour told ABC radio the man was a “good bloke” and that his birds were his “pride and joy”.

The most influential people in Sport
“He used to sit out the front with his birds all the time – Lucky and Lucy is what he used to call them,” the man, identified as Ross Bradley, said.

“He didn’t have a mean bone in his body.”

Arson squad detectives are investigating, but at this stage the fire is not believed to have been deliberately lit.

Police said the house suffered extensive damage in the blaze.