Neighbours wake to explosion as 'nice, genuine' man killed in Halesowen house fire

A 48-year-old man described as "nice and genuine" by his neighbours was killed in the blaze which ripped through his terraced home in School Lane, Halesowen, on Tuesday evening.

Neighbours, who rushed to try and help the man, spoke of back windows exploding and hearing an "horrendous" roaring noise. They also said a fire engine had been unable to come up the street due to a van on the pavement.

The cause of the blaze has not yet been confirmed, but West Midlands Police said it is not thought to have been suspicious. Meanwhile officers have been working to contact the victim's family.

Firefighters and forensic officers from West Midlands Police were still at the scene on Wednesday morning examining the damage left by the fire, which destroyed the ground floor and left a heavy smell of burning and smoke in the air.

Neighbours living on School Lane were being offered help and information by firefighters and police community support officers, but were still visibly shaken and upset about the events.

One resident, who didn't want to be named, said she had heard what sounded like fireworks while she was sat watching television and only realised what was happening when she went into her back garden.

She said: "I thought someone's house was being broken into as it was an horrendous noise and didn't sound normal, so I went into the back garden and opened my side gate, only to see the kitchen on fire and an explosion at the same time.

"I called the police and fire service at that point and knocked on my neighbours door to get him out of the house, so he came to stay with me until the fire service arrived.

"I'm very shocked at what has happened and haven't slept all night and I feel really sorry for him as he was a bit of a loner, but a nice and genuine man."

Other neighbours spoke of their shock at the death of the man and how they were left with homes smelling of smoke.

Julie Clarke said she had had to take the day off work as she was still dealing with the emotions of what had happened.

She said: "I'm really sad and exhausted as I can't sleep in my room due to all the smoke and I just feel so sorry for the man.

"He was a nice person who kept himself to himself and I can't imagine how his family and friends feel today after this."

One neighbour, who didn't want to be named, said how angry she was about the fire engine being unable to get up the street.

She said: "The biggest problem last night is that they couldn't get all the way up here due to a van blocking the path, so they couldn't get any closer."

A spokesman for the West Midlands Fire Service said: "This was a severe fire on the ground floor of a mid-terraced property.

"Firefighters rescued a man from the house but very sadly, in spite of their efforts and the ambulance service, he was confirmed to have died at the scene."

Two ambulances, a paramedic officer and a MERIT trauma doctor also attended the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "On arrival, crews discovered one patient, a man, who had been rescued from the house by fire service colleagues.

"The man was in a critical condition and ambulance staff immediately began administering advanced life support.

"However, despite everyone’s best efforts it sadly became apparent nothing could be done to save the man and he was confirmed dead at the scene.”