Manchester shop fire
Firefighters finally brought the blaze under control on Sunday morning, around 18 hours after it broke out at Paul's Hair World

Firefighters in Manchester have put out a city-centre blaze that killed one colleague and left another in hospital.

Stephen Hunt, 38, was part of the team that responded to a major fire at a shop in central Manchester when he and his colleague ran into trouble in the basement of the burning building, which was used to store flammable products.

Both were taken to hospital after being pulled from the blaze at Paul's Hair World, Oldham Street.

Hunt, a father-of-two, based at Manchester's Philips Park Fire Station, was later confirmed dead, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said.

The second firefighter continues to receive treatment, and his injuries are not thought to be life threatening.

Firefighters battled on a further 12 hours through the night to bring the blaze under control.

County Fire Officer Steve McGuirk said: "We are devastated by the loss of one of our colleagues who has died in the line of duty.

"Stephen had been a dedicated firefighter since 2008 and we are all in a state of shock.

"It is a very sad day for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and all our thoughts are with Stephen's family and friends."

He said details of what happened were unclear but would be investigated.

"We have asked our neighbouring Fire and Rescue Services to immediately start an investigation into the incident and circumstances leading to this terrible tragedy," he added.

"We are working alongside Greater Manchester Police to establish the cause of the fire. At this stage arson is not being ruled out."

McGuirk paid tribute to the "professionalism, courage and dedication" of the team of firefighters, who had continued to battle the blaze while mourning their colleague's death.

The fire broke out in the shop's underground storeroom at about 2.50pm GMT and was not extinguished until Sunday morning.

The shop's owner and a passer-by were both taken to hospital, suffering smoke inhalation.

The blaze had proved difficult to tackle due to the complex layout of the building and the amount of inflammable materials inside, a spokeswoman for the fire service said.

By 4pm on Saturday, 12 crews and more than 60 firefighters from stations around the county were tackling the fire after it spread to the first floor.

The Merseyside and Lancashire fire services are expected to lead an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Hunt's death.

The fire was captured on video by a passer-by. Watch it below: