A 75-YEAR-OLD man has died and a woman was raced to hospital after a fire tore through a building.

At least three other people were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene yesterday.

The blaze broke out at a property on Ridgway Road in Shelton, Stoke on Trent.

Emergency services, including an air ambulance scrambled to the property but the man was found dead.

The building was evacuated and fire crews eventually managed to extinguish the flames.

The force are working with Fire and Rescue Service to establish what started the fire.

added that the man’s next of kin have been informed and his family are being supported by specialist officers.

They are appealing for any witnesses to come forward.

A spokesperson for Staffordshire Police said: “A man has sadly died and four others suffered smoke inhalation following a fire in a property in Shelton.

“We were alerted to a fire by colleagues at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service in a property on Ridgway Road at around 12:50pm today.

“Fire crews extinguished the fire quickly and the building was evacuated.

“Sadly, a man aged 75 was found deceased and four others were treated for smoke inhalation, with one woman in her 60s being taken to hospital.

“The next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specially-trained officers.

“A scene has been set up whilst we work with fire investigators to determine how the fire started.

“Anyone with information about the fire should call 101 quoting incident 432 of 8 August.”