Blaze hero on spot to save his neighbour

A man's life was saved when a heroic passer-by heard fire alarms ringing and forced his way into the smoke-filled house to drag him to safety.

The man, in his 60s, was unaware that a fire had taken hold in parts of the ground floor and the first floor of the house in Rhodes Avenue, Dawley, Telford, on Saturday morning.

Neighbour Brendon McDowell was passing the semi-detached home on his way from Dawley Community Centre when he heard the smoke alarm and saw smoke.

Neighbour Mrs Beryl Simmonds said there was black smoke coming out of the windows and doors.

She said: "I had my windows open and there was a horrible smoky smell in the air. The street was covered in smoke. The next thing we knew the fire brigade was here."

She said Mr McDowall had to drag the man from the house.

Two men were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene by ambulance staff.

Incident Commander Tony Druce, of Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, said parts of the house were severely damaged by fire.

He said the cause of the blaze was under investigation, but claimed that the smoke alarm had almost certainly helped to save the life of the occupier.

Fire engines from Wellington, Telford Central and Tweedale attended along with two officers and the incident commander from Shrewsbury. Firefighters used four sets of breathing apparatus, two hose reel jets and one main jet.

He said: "The gentleman had two smoke alarms which had gone off and saved his life without a doubt."

He said the man was "very lucky".