Friday 24 October
16.48 Wimblestone Road, Sandford, Winscombe
A young lad delivering the Weston & Worle Newspaper in
Winscombe has received praise for his quick thinking actions after
he alerted an elderly man to a fire in his home.
It appears that the man left hot fat cooking food on the hob,
and accidentally fell asleep in the sitting room.
Smoke started to build in the property undiscovered, until the
local 'paper boy' went to deliver a copy of the Weston & Worle
News. When he went to put the newspaper through the letter
box he noticed the smoke and immediately ran to a neighbour to
raise the alarm.
After calling Avon Fire and Rescue Service, the two ran back to the
house, banging on the door to raise the alarm - alerting the male
occupier he was in danger.
Winscombe crews arrived and administered oxygen therapy to the
gentlemen who was safely outside. Two firefighters wearing
breathing apparatus entered the property removing the pan from the
hob and ventilating the smoke filled rooms.
The gentleman was taken to Weston General by ambulance.
The incident highlighted just how quickly cooking can catch
alight and how important smoke alarms are in alerting people that
they are in danger. Working smoke alarms provide people with
those vital minutes to get out of their home safely.
Firefighters on the scene have said that it could have been
different outcome had the young lad not raised the
alarm.