Man dies in house fire in Bearwood - in fourth fatal fire since Sunday
It's the fourth fatal fire in the region since Sunday.
A man has died in a house fire in the Black Country overnight.
Emergency services were called to Park Road, in Bearwood, at around 8.50pm last night.
A man, believed to be in his 80s, was pronounced dead at the scene.
A spokesman for West Midlands Fire Service said: "Shortly before 8.45pm on Monday, April 19, we were alerted to a severe fire on the ground and first floor of a mid-terraced property on Park Road in Bearwood.
"Six fire engines from Smethwick, Ladywood, Oldbury, Haden Cross, Handsworth, Bournbrook, a brigade response vehicle and 35 fire service personnel attended the scene.
"Firefighters in breathing apparatus tackled the fire using three hose reel jets. Sadly a man was discovered deceased at the property by our crews.
"After the fire was extinguished, damping down and a full inspection of the property was carried out by firefighters.
"A full investigation is being undertaken by our specialist Fire Investigation team, our thoughts are with family and friends of the deceased."
West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) was called by West Midlands Fire Service to attend – and due to the nature of the call, the Hazardous Area Response Team was dispatched, along with one ambulance and a paramedic officer.
A spokesman for WMAS said: "Crews arrived at the scene to find a serious fire at the property, with one patient involved.
“Unfortunately, nothing could be done to save the man and he was confirmed deceased on scene.”
A West Midlands Police spokesman said: "Police were called by the fire service at around 8.50pm on Monday to a house fire in Park Road, in Smethwick.
"A man in his 80s was sadly declared dead at the scene.
"His death is not being treated as suspicious and has been referred to the coroner."
Residents in the area had spoken of their shock after the fire on Monday evening.
One neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "It's very shocking and I'm not quite sure how I feel right now.
"He was a nice guy who lived alone and I know he collected lots of things.
"The fire service were quick and did all they could, but we know he's died and that's really horrible."
Another added: "He was a nice old chap who kept himself to himself.
"The first I heard of it last night was around 8:45pm when I had fire alarms go off and then there was a small explosion.
"A few of us tried to break the doors down and I got cuts on my hands doing so, but there was no way that we can get anywhere near him because of the fire.
"I'm ok after last night, I'm just watching them clear up the mess, but it's just awful and I feel very bad for his family that this has happened."
Dr Moe Htay, who lives nearby, said: "Last night, around 8pm, we saw the fire and the flames coming out the back of the house and the next door neighbours, who are a lady and two kids, running away from the house.
"I then saw one of the neighbours break his two doors, the porch door and the door entrance to inside the house, to go in and try to save him, but they couldn't get into the house because the fire
"The fire brigade got here in 20 minutes and they went into the house, but they did not come out immediately and I suspect that's when they found him.
"I then got a message this morning to say that he was dead and I'm very sad and very shocked because I look after older people and something like this is very difficult to take.
"We are a very tight community because we have each other's phone numbers and we work together on various projects, so something like this will affect the whole neighbourhood and a lot of people are very sad right now."
It is the fourth fatal fire in the West Midlands since Sunday.
West Midlands Fire Service has been approached for comment.
