A man has died and four others were rushed to the hospital following two devastating fires in the early hours of Saturday morning that ripped through homes in Bilston, West Midlands.

The blazes—on Lunt Place and Marbury Drive—broke out within minutes of each other, sparking a large-scale emergency response from fire crews and police.

Emergency services raced to Lunt Place at 2:19am after reports of a house fire. Crews from West Midlands Fire Service arrived within three minutes, rescuing three people from the first floor, while a fourth escaped on their own. A third of the ground floor was ablaze, with smoke billowing throughout the semi-detached house.

Just 11 minutes later, at 2:30am, a second fire erupted at a detached house on Marbury Drive—just 150 metres away. Tragically, a man in his 70s was found dead at the scene. The home was described as “engulfed,” with almost the entire property destroyed.

The four individuals from the Lunt Place incident were taken to hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening, according to NHS England.

West Midlands Police have confirmed that both fires are being investigated as potentially linked, though the cause remains unknown. Crime scene cordons remain in place as forensic teams and fire investigators continue their work over the weekend.

A spokesperson for the force said:
“We are working closely with the fire service to determine the cause of both incidents. We urge anyone with information to contact us quoting log 379 of 10 May.”

? Witnesses are asked to contact police on 101 or via Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk.

Community Shocked by Twin Fires

Locals expressed their horror at the double tragedy. One resident posted on X (formerly Twitter):
“We heard a loud bang and within minutes the street was filled with blue lights. It’s terrifying when it’s so close to home.”

Another said:
“To have two fires within minutes so close together is just surreal.”

West Midlands Fire Service said in a statement:
“Very sadly, a man was confirmed to have died at one of the properties. Our thoughts are with everyone affected.”

 Safety Spotlight: Fire Prevention

The incident has reignited concern over home fire safety in the region. West Midlands Fire Service recently warned of the risks of indoor heating and electrical faults, urging households to install working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

According to UK Fire Statistics, the region handles hundreds of serious domestic fires each year, with targeted prevention campaigns underway.

Remembering the Victim

The identity of the man who died has not yet been released. Tributes are expected from the community in the coming days.