Woman who saved her local fire station dies in house blaze
A MOTHER who successfully campaigned for her local fire station to be spared from spending cutbacks has died after a blaze tore through her house.
Tracey Swann, believed to be in her 50s, was pulled from the flames by firefighters from the station but it was too late to save her life.
The charred rafters could be seen yesterday after the fire destroyed the roof of the house in Heacham, near King’s Lynn, Norfolk.
Former parish councillor Miss Swann, a mother of one, worked as a phlebotomist taking blood samples at a local doctor’s surgery and lived with her 16-year-old son.
Her son had been at the local youth club – where Miss Swann was chairman – at the time of the blaze. The cause is still unknown.
Miss Swann had fought relentlessly for her local fire station to stay open amid threats of closure as part of proposals to plug a multimillion-pound savings gap. The single mother was rewarded for her efforts in February when the fight to save the station proved successful.
While Miss Swann was unable to escape the blaze, her two black dogs did manage to flee the £160,000 property where she had lived for the past three years.
A neighbour, said: ‘From my bedroom window I could see the flames and smoke above the houses. ‘It was horrendous. ‘It was awful knowing that she could be in there, I’ve never seen anything like it.
‘People were trying to locate Tracey as no one knew for definite she was in there.
‘My thoughts go out to her son and his family, and the fire service who tried their best to help her.
‘She was a lovely lady who would do anything for anyone and she will be greatly missed by the whole village. Everyone knew her.’
Another resident, who was evacuated from their home while firefighters bat- tled to extinguish the fire, said: ‘It was an enormous fire, it just took hold and there was no stopping it.
‘We had no idea if anyone was inside but we were praying everyone was safe. When we found out Tracey had been inside the whole time, we felt sick.
‘She put her life on the line to save the local fire station, it’s just tragic they couldn’t save her, but they did everything they could.’
During Miss Swann’s campaign to save the fire station, Norfolk County Council received one of the highest responses to any public consultation on record as well as petitions against cuts to the Fire and Rescue Service.
After her campaign was successful, Miss Swann said at the time: ‘This process has proven that by standing together
‘It’s just tragic they couldn’t save her’
against the proposal to close the fire station we have made a difference. Without such outstanding public support, this could have been a very different situation.’
Locals yesterday took to Facebook to pay tribute Miss Swann.
Katie Shanks wrote: ‘Such devastating news to wake up to.
‘We were hoping by some miracle she would have been found.
This is even more awful as she was so instrumental in saving our fire station for us. I know the whole village will greatly miss her.’
Carol Young wrote: ‘ A beautiful lady, who fought to save Heacham fire station passed away in a terrible fire last night. It’s a shock to us all.’