Fire heroes rescue brothers
Published: December 10, 2004
A TRADER and his step-grandson have been praised by fire chiefs for helping rescue two brothers from a fire.
Cafe owner Ron Champion and young Luke Williams helped lead the men and their neighbours to safety on Friday when a fire engulfed a first floor maisonette.
Mr Champion, 53, also managed to flag down passing motorist Dave Harris, who was driving a van with ladders on the roof. Mr Harris then joined the rescue operation.
Mr Champion said he was opening up his cafe with his wife Maureen and step-grandson when he spotted the fire a couple of doors down, in The Market, Rosehill.
He helped the eldest brother out of the burning building from the back entrance while 14-year-old Luke knocked on neighbours’ doors to alert them to the fire.
But when Mr Champion realised the younger brother’s only escape route was through the top floor window, he feared the worst.
He said: “The only way for him to get out was by jumping out the maisonette’s top floor window.
“Fortunately I noticed a van go past with ladders on the roof and managed to stop the driver.”
Aerial installer Dave Harris helped the 53-year-old man safely escape the burning building.
Mr Champion, of Sunnydale Road, Cheam, said: “It all happened very quickly but we knew what we had to do.
“I did fire training when I was in the Navy so that experience helped.
“I am so proud of Luke. He did really well to get all the neighbours out.”
Luke, a pupil at Wandle Valley School, said: “I was dodging the falling roof tiles while knocking on doors.
“I knew there were a couple of neighbours who had kids so I really wanted to get them out quickly.
“I did not really think about the danger even though there was smoke everywhere.”
Father-of-three Dave Harris was driving from his home in Ross Road, Wallington, to work in Kingston when Mr Champion stopped him at the Rosehill roundabout.
He said: “It is really strange because I would not normally pass through Rosehill until much later but I had left early that morning. “The guy was half hanging out of the third floor window which was about 35 foot.”
The 53-year-old man was taken to taken to St Helier Hospital suffering with smoke inhalation.
His 56-year-old brother did not require hospital treatment.
Fire chiefs praised the rescue operation which was completed just minutes before they arrived.
Borough Commander Andy Holcombe said: “We would like to give special thanks to Luke and Rob of their courageous actions in the rescue.”
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