Pensioner dies in Midlands house fire 1 hour after national firegfighter strike starts Elderly man was found dead from smoke inhalation at 7.11pm yesterday Members of Fire Brigade Union walked out at 6pm in strike over pensions Force admits being 'streched' as other brigades also warn of shortages An elderly man has died in a fire just one hour after emergency crews walked out on some of the busiest nights of the year in a dispute over pensions. Firefighters were called to a house in Wednesbury, West Midlands, yesterday night and when they arrived the found the man had already died from smoke inhalation. Area Commander Simon Shilton, of the West Midlands Fire Service, admitted that resources had been 'stretched' - with 17 engines attending 40 fires. A pensioner has died after a fire on this road in Wednesbury, West Midlands, just an hour after emergency crews walked out on strike on some of the busiest nights of the year He also revealed that the pensioner - who has not been named - was killed by a slow-burning fire which started in his kitchen, and was already extinguished by the time emergency workers arrived. He added: 'It was a busy and challenging night. We attended more than 40 incidents and our limited resources were stretched at times. Sadly, we attended one incident in which an elderly man had died. It appears that he had been overcome by smoke from a slow-burning fire in his kitchen. The fire was out when we got there and had occurred several hours earlier. There was also a fire at a factory in Walsall. Crews were there for more than three hours. At this stage the cause has yet to be determined. Firefighters left their stations at 6pm yesterday and will not return until 6pm on Tuesday, the evening before Bonfire Night, with brigades across England warning they may struggle to respond. The West Yorkshire brigade warned that the service and the public will be left in a 'vulnerable position', telling people to take extra care to ensure their own safety. The London brigade said it might not attend bin or small grass fires, or help anyone shut in a lift during the strike. Picket lines were mounted outside fire stations, as brigade chiefs launched contingency plans, including hiring contract staff. The Government has been accused of showing 'contempt' for public sector after insisting that firefighters will still receive one of the best pension schemes, even after the reforms. Fire Brigade Union members will be out on strike until Tuesday morning in a row over pensions, with the London service warning that they might not attend small blazes, or rescue people trapped in lifts (file pic) The FBU hit back at Government statements, saying: 'We have a Government of millionaires who are wrecking the pensions of firefighters and other public sector workers while the real scandal is that their own pensions are by far the most generous anywhere in the public sector. This is a case of those at the top getting more while everyone else is robbed blind. Firefighters are sickened by the Government's 'snouts in the trough' approach to this issue. How can it be remotely fair that the Prime Minister, already a millionaire, enjoys a far greater subsidy from his employer in absolute and proportional terms than a firefighter who is earning less than £30,000 a year? It is sickening hypocrisy. TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: 'Once again the Government is showing its contempt for public service workers. Evidence warns that raising the normal retirement age for firefighters would lead to older fighters facing no job and no pension after years of good service. This same evidence has already led to concessions being made in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland - but the Westminster Government has chosen to walk away from the negotiating table. We are very concerned about the risks to firefighters, and those who rely on the fire service, when firefighters are forced to stay in frontline service until they reach the age of 60. The Firefighters' Pension Scheme is the most expensive in the public sector and is forecast to have a cashflow deficit of almost £600 million by 2018/19, according to the Government. Fiona Twycross, Labour fire spokeswoman, said: 'It is deeply disappointing that we have got to this position, but it seems clear the Government is set on escalating this dispute.' Fire Minister Penny Mordaunt said: 'It is regrettable that the Fire Brigades Union has announced this strike action, which is unnecessary and the aim of which is unclear.'