Crew saves fire victim

Firefighters rescued a man from his burning Willenhall flat after he collapsed while trying to save his brother's kitten from perishing in the blaze.

A father and two young children were also led to safety during the rescue operation following the fire early this morning.

Fire crews from Bloxwich, Walsall and Willenhall rushed to first floor flats above a hardware shop in High Road, Lane Head, after a chip pan caught fire at around 4.25am this morning.

The blaze started in the flat belonging to 32-year-old David Deeming, causing clouds of smoke to billow through to the next-door property where a man lives with his two children, both aged under five.

The young family were uninjured in the fire, but firefighters said they had been left "shocked and dazed".

Mr Deeming, who was found unconscious in his flat by firefighters, was treated by paramedics at the scene for smoke inhalation before being taken to hospital for treatment.

Assistant Divisional Officer Dave Burton, of West Midlands fire service, said: "It's apparent that the occupier had left the premises in the initial stages of the fire before the fire brigade arrived. He re-entered and was found unconscious at the head of his entrance stairs by firefighters.

"During the incident a very small young kitten was found under the bed upstairs and we think this is the reason why the person re-entered the premises."

Mr Burton has warned people of the dangers of rushing back inside their homes during fires. He said: "We encourage people to get out of their property and stay out and this is an example of why we say that."

Firefighters are out in the Lane Head area today handing out free smoke alarms.

By Emma Tate