Tazmin Pugh, a former European Junior champion and Commonwealth Youth Games medalist has died at the age of 18 in a house fire.
British media are reporting that Pugh and her boyfriend were found dead after a house fire in Cotheridge, Worcester. Sky News reports that firefighters were called just before 8 PM on Sunday night to combat the blaze, and that paramedics in an ambulance saw the fire and stopped to help as well. The 18-year-old Pugh and her boyfriend, 21-year-old Josh Kirk, were found dead inside the property.
Pugh won 6 medals for England as a 15-year-old at the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa. She took bronze in the 200 fly, 200 IM and 400 IM, silvers as part of the 4×200 free relay and 4×100 medley relay and bronze as part of the 4×100 free relay. The next year, she won 200 back gold for Great Britain at the 2016 European Junior Championships, plus silver as part of the 4×200 free relay.
Her club, Pershore Swim Club, posted on social media yesterday, mourning the loss:
With enormous shock and sorrow that we heard today that Tazmin Pugh has tragically died on Sunday. There are no words to describe the horror of losing one so young. All at Pershore SC send their thoughts and prayers to her family & friends at this dreadful time. RIP Tazmin 💛💙 pic.twitter.com/OTlbFCipK4
— PershoreSC (@PershoreSC) October 29, 2018
“With enormous shock and sorrow that we heard today that Tazmin Pugh has tragically died on Sunday. There are no words to describe the horror of losing one so young. All at Pershore SC send their thoughts and prayers to her family & friends at this dreadful time. RIP Tazmin”
That is so sad. R.I.P
R.I.P.
What an absolute tragedy. You can only hope neither victim suffered. Huge talent who holds a few (SC) national junior records to this day.
RIP