Pensioner killed in Wednesbury house fire as strike began is named
A 70-year-old man who died after becoming overcome by smoke in a house fire in Wednesbury as firefighters began a four-day strike has been named.
Grandfather Timothy Falvey died at his home in Carisbrooke Road, Friar Park.
Fire crews were called to the property at 7.11pm -71 minutes after industrial action began on Friday.
They said the fire was out when they arrived and had occurred several hours earlier.
Relatives of the father-of-two today described him as 'a kind hearted man with a gentle soul'.
He was discovered by his 38 year-old son Sean Falvey , who was visiting his father.
Sean, from Bentley, Walsall, said: "I got to his house about 6.45pm and as I pulled up outside I knew something was wrong because the lights weren't on. I went inside and tried to turn the lights on but the electric had gone. Once I went into the kitchen I could see there had been a fire and that the fridge-freezer had been burned out.
"When I went upstairs that's when I saw my dad."
Sean, a father-of-four, said despite the strike the response from the emergency services was quick.
He said: "The fire service, the police and the ambulance were all there within about 15 minutes after I made the call."
Mr Falvey had moved to the Black Country from Ireland in 1961.
He was employed at Lucas Girling in West Bromwich.
He began working for Poundland from 1992 until he retired in 2009 from their Willenhall-base.
A grandfather to six children he spent much of his time working at Charlemont Bowling Club in Stone Cross.
Sean said: "I've had messages from my cousins in Australia and from family back in Ireland.
"He was a kind hearted person with a gentle soul. He always put people before himself and never had a bad word to say about anyone."
Mr Falvey's youngest son Gavin Falvey, 33, added: "Everyone knew him. He was popular with the neighbours and such a friendly person."
Area Commander Simon Shilton, head of emergency response for West Midlands Fire Service said Friday night was 'busy and challenging'.
"We attended more than 40 incidents and our limited resources were stretched at times.
"Sadly, we attended one incident in which an elderly man had died. It appears that he had been overcome by smoke from a slow-burning fire in his kitchen. The fire was out when we got there and had occurred several hours earlier," he said.
The strike began at 6pm on Friday and is due to end at 6pm on Tuesday.
