Man found dead in flat after fire crews called to Wolverhampton retirement home
A man was found dead after emergency services responded to reports of a fire at a retirement home on Monday evening.
Firefighters discovered a man in his 60s lying unconscious on the floor and a pan smoking in the kitchen area after being called to a ground-floor flat at Almar Court on Catisford Crescent in Pendeford, Wolverhampton, just after 9pm.
The man was taken outside and treated by paramedics and the MERIT trauma team, but was found to have suffered a medical emergency and pronounced dead at the scene.
A spokeswoman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: "We were called to reports of a fire at Almar Court in Pendeford at around 9:10pm.
"We sent over a hazardous area response team, one ambulance, two paramedic officers and one MERIT Trauma team to the team.
"We found one man in the flat, who was evacuated by fire officers and found to be in critical condition after suffering a medical emergency.
"Sadly, it became clear there was nothing that could be done to save him and he was confirmed dead at the scene.
"We believe that his death is not due to the fire, which was a small pan fire, but was a medical emergency."
A spokeswoman for West Midlands Police said: "A man sadly died after a fire at a flat in Pendeford, Wolverhampton last night (Monday 31 January).
"We were alerted by colleagues from the fire service to the fire at Catisfield Crescent just after 9.10pm.
"A man in his 60s was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
"We’ve worked with fire service colleagues to assess the likely cause and we're not treating the fire as suspicious.
"We'll be preparing a full report for the coroner. Our thoughts are with the man's family."
A spokesman for West Midlands Fire Service added: "Three of our fire engines attended, crewed by firefighters from Fallings Park, Bilston and Tettenhall fire stations.
"In spite of their best efforts to resuscitate a man, he was confirmed by a doctor to have died at the scene.
"Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this incident.
"Initial calls suggested there was a fire in the flat, which was not the case. It appears that the man was, very sadly, taken ill and then smoke from a pan on a hob set off alarms."
Lauren Telfer, area manager for Almar Court, said: “We extend our deepest sympathy to the family at this difficult time.
"This was an isolated incident and no other residents were injured. Our thoughts are with everyone affected.
"We have a robust fire safety plan in place and the wellbeing of our residents is paramount."
