Toddler rescued from blazing house fire

Published: June 1, 2006 | 4302nd good news item since 2003

A GRIMETHORPE man has been commended for his bravery after rescuing a toddler from a blazing house fire.
Hero neighbour David Steele rushed into the burning house, on Manor Crescent, and rescued 14-month-old Cherrie Ashcroft from her bedroom as the fire raged in a nearby room.
Mr Steele, aged 33, was alerted to the fire by the toddlers mum, Tracey, after she and her three other children had fled the burning house.
He told the Times: “Tracey banged on my door and said there was a fire in the house and Cherrie was inside.
“I ran outside and went through the front door of the house. I could see it was full of smoke and there were flames coming from underneath the door of the back bedroom where the fire was.
“It was really black with smoke and I could hardly breathe so I covered my nose and mouth with a piece of clothing.
“I was struggling to see as well but I could hear Cherrie shouting as I ran up the stairs. I went into her bedroom and she was stood up in her cot, I picked her up and ran downstairs and out of the house.”
Mr Steele’s bravery was this week commended by firefighters who tackled the fire last Thursday at 8.30pm.
Royston firefighter, Adam Myers, said: “If he had not gone in to get the girl then the outcome could have been a lot worse. What he did was very brave.”
Mr Steele suffered the effects of smoke inhalation and was given oxygen by paramedics at the scene.
Cherrie, along with her baby brother Marley and 4-year-old sister Anesha, were treated at Barnsley Hospital for smoke inhalation.
The oldest girl, Tamika, aged 7, was in the back bedroom when the fire started and was treated for severe burns to her arms and legs.
Her condition was initially described as “life threatening” and she was transferred to the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield on Friday. The family has requested that no details as to Tamika’s current condition be released to the press.
Four firefighters spent more than an hour tackling the blaze which badly damaged the rear bedroom and caused smoke damage to the rest of the house.
It is believed the fire was started accidentally.

Published in Kids & Teens and Rescues
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