EastEnders celebrated 40th anniversary this week and fans were left with their jaws on the floor after a Walford resident perished in the blaze that erupted through the Queen Vic11:11, 20 Feb 2025EastEnders’ explosive 40th anniversary week has delivered its first shocker, as an iconic character met a fiery end in the catastrophic Queen Vic inferno in tonight’s episode.As the cast have been worrying about the future of the show, the storyline descends into chaos as flames erupted after Cindy Beale caused husband Ian to be thrown in front of Reiss Colwell’s oncoming car, leading to a crash right into the Queen Vic. The drama intensified when George Knight found out that Reiss had rammed into gas canisters, and he urged everyone nearby to seek shelter before the pub exploded.The stakes were high with Honey and Billy Mitchell’s wedding attendees trapped inside, and EastEnders hinted at a grim outcome – with tonight’s episode confirming that Reiss Colwell didn’t survive the blaze.Chaos reigned inside the Queen Vic too, where Sonia, in the throes of labour and hunkered down alongside Lauren Branning and Bianca Jackson, was stunned by Reiss’s appearance. He was met with Sonia’s fierce words: “You are a freak, Reiss.The inferno engulfed the pub”You are a murdering freak. You’re not going to be any part of my daughter’s life,” to which Reiss coolly responded, “You don’t mean that, it’s the hormones talking. We’re meant to be together and the sooner you realise that- blood is thicker than water and that baby will always be my blood.”After Reiss made a move towards the women, Bianca shoved him back, telling him: “Why don’t you just drop dead!” Her words were nearly prophetic as Reiss stumbled, only for a piece of debris to narrowly miss him, to which he quipped, “Well, that was close.”, reports the Mirror.He spoke too soon, however, as a massive bathtub then came crashing down on him, ending his life. Bianca walked over to inspect his body, before turning to Sonia and confirming the grim news: “Good,” Sonia responded coldly.Reiss Colwell perished in the deadly EastEnders fire(Image: More