War veteran dies as Hednesford bungalow hit by blaze

A pensioner died when a blaze ripped through the living room of his home in Staffordshire.

A neighbour sounded the alarm when the fire took hold at the bungalow.

Fire crews attended the blaze in Heath Street, Hednesford, at 12.50pm yesterday.

They forced their way into the property but found the victim, named locally as 90-year-old Charlie Parmater, lifeless in his chair.

Firefighters carried Mr Parmater, a World War II veteran who served in Germany, from his home but paramedics were unable to revive him.

The cause of the blaze, which gutted the lounge but did not spread to the rest of the house, is being investigated by police. It is not being treated as suspicious.

Resident Michael Sims called 999 after he saw smoke billowing from his neighbour's home.