PHOTOGRAPHS shown to a jury of the aftermath of a blaze which took the life of firefighter Stephen Hunt have been released.

On the second day of the inquest yesterday, the jury also visited the scene of the devastating fire.

The inquest at Manchester’s Civil Justice Centre has been listed for five to six weeks.

Two teenage girls who had been smoking cigarettes at the back of a city-centre shop — which went up in flames, resulting in the death of Mr Hunt — said they were panicking and upset upon seeing the commotion.

One of the teenagers, a girl from Bolton, who was 15 at the time, went on to be charged after the firefighter, a father-of-two, died while attempting to put out the blaze at Paul’s Hair World in Oldham Street in Manchester on July 13, 2013.

The girl, who is now 17 and cannot be named for legal reasons, was charged with committing arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered, but the charge was later dropped by prosecutors.

Mr Hunt, 38, who grew up in Whitefield and had been living in New Road, Radcliffe, was one of about 50 firefighters who tackled the blaze, but got into difficulties while inside the building.

Senior coroner for Manchester Nigel Meadows earlier told the 11 jurors: “She maintained that she thought both cigarette ends were out."

The jury was told earlier that Mr Hunt died from the effects of heat.

An initial investigation by two other fire services determined that the fire had been started deliberately by use of a naked flame.

But a further expert said that it could not rule out the possibility that the fire was started accidentally.

Mr Meadows said that the prosecution decided not to proceed with the charge.

Earlier in the hearing, Mr Hunt’s mother Susan Veevers paid tribute to her son who she said had a thirst for life and who had served in the Army prior to becoming a firefighter.

She said his role within the fire service had provided him with a chance to serve.

The inquest continues.