Man rescued from house fire in Oldbury
A man's life was saved after helpful neighbours heard his smoke alarm and dialled 999.
The fire had started in the upstairs bedroom of a property on Underhill Road in Oldbury at around 4pm this afternoon.
Although the fire was not large, the fumes had left the man, thought to be in his mid-50s, unconscious in the same room.
Two appliances from Oldbury fire station were deployed and firefighters carried the man out of the property after neighbours alerted them to the fire.
Crew Commander Lee Richardson, from Oldbury, said: "When we first arrived we struggled to find the fire amidst the smoke as it had been smouldering for quite a long time.
"Once the fire was out we were able to remove the casualty, who was unconscious from the fumes, from the house."
Commander Richardson said the quick thinking of the neighbours may have saved the man's life.
He was given first aid by firefighters before he was conveyed to City Hospital by paramedics to be treated for the effects of smoke inhalation.
"If anything this incident highlights the importance of a working smoke alarm," Commander Richardson said. "It can literally be a life saver."
