Hero neighbour saves blaze victim
Published: August 16, 2007
A HERO neighbour saved a 34-year-old man from an horrific death after his house caught fire in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The man arrived home from a night out and began cooking a late night snack but went upstairs and fell asleep.
The pan he was using quickly caught fire, filling the property in Durrington Lane, Worthing, with thick, black smoke just before 3am.
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Smoke alarms were fitted in the house, however the 34-year-old was in such a deep sleep and had drunk so much, they did not rouse him.
Neighbours who spotted the blaze tried to wake the man up without success, so they smashed their way into a ground floor window.
Fire fighters from Worthing then battled their way through thick smoke and found the man fast asleep on a bed before leading him outside to safety.
West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service warned that the man could easily have died and urged people not to cook after a night out.
It follows the recent death of Emma Macintosh, 25, from Albion Street, Southwick, who died after arriving home from a night out.
She fell asleep on a sofa while a pan she was cooking with caught light, filling the property with thick smoke.
Watch Commander Darren Wickings said: “We urge people not to start cooking if they’ve been drinking.”
“This incident was a classic case of someone coming back late from a night out, starting to cook some food and then falling asleep.
“Luckily for him, his smoke alarm alerted the neighbours. Had there not of been a smoke alarm in the house, this incident could have ended in tragedy.”
The man was given a “precautionary” checkup by paramedics at the scene but did not require hospital treatment.
Smoke from the property was cleared using a ventilation fan.
Fire crews are also urging people to get one of their free home safety checks carried out.
The free checks are made by professional fire fighters who advise on how to prevent fires and make contingency escape plans.
West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service will also fit free smoke alarms.
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