Man dies in house fire in Cannock

An investigation into a house fire where a man died has shown the fire was caused by smoking materials.

This is an extremely tragic incident and our thoughts are with the man’s family and friends during this difficult time.

Graham Mills, Head of the Emergency Response Team

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to reports of a fire at a house in Haig Close, Cannock, at around 2.55pm on Friday (11 September). Crews from Cannock and Stafford extinguished the blaze and rescued a 75-year-old man from the property.

The man was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham with serious burns and sadly died later the same evening. His family have been informed and a report will be prepared for HM Coroner.

Graham Mills, Head of Emergency Response at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “This is an extremely tragic incident and our thoughts are with the man’s family and friends during this difficult time.

“A joint fire investigation has taken place with colleagues from Staffordshire Police which found that the fire started accidentally and was caused by smoking materials."

Lisa Jenkinson, Prevent Delivery Lead for Cannock and South Staffordshire added, “This is a stark reminder of just how much extra danger smoking can put you in, and to never leave smoking materials unattended. It is one of the biggest causes of fire deaths that we see which is why it is highlighted in our SAME campaign.

“The campaign aims to raise awareness of smoking and the other three fatal fire factors; alcohol, mobility issues and being elderly, which are all likely to increase your risk of dying in an accidental fire.”