A man was killed and woman left fighting for her life in a devastating house fire in the Black Country today. A 46-year-old woman has been arrested following the blaze.

Shocked neighbours in Pleck Road, Walsall, today told how they heard screaming from the house and glass breaking at around 5.15am.

Another woman was also taken to hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.

Emergency services have cordoned off the terraced house, which has two badly-blackened upstairs windows, and five others in the street.

Stunned neighbours were today huddled in groups in the street discussing the tragedy.

They said the family who lived there were mainly from Africa but the father was believed to be from Portugal and several teenage girls also residing there.

West Midlands Police spokesman David Hodgetts said one man was confirmed dead at the scene.

One neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said the fire had caused chaos in the street. He said: “I heard screams and then a girl from the house came and knocked on my door and asked for our help. She kept saying ‘my sister is inside’. I called the police.”

Another neighbour added: “We heard screaming and glass breaking.”

Anyone with information can call West Midlands Police on 0345 113 5000