Community rallies to save blaze victim
BRAVE Walker residents have told how they helped to rescue a man from a house fire.
The blaze took place at a terraced home in Wigmore Avenue on Saturday morning.
Emergency services arrived at the scene and a section of the street was taped off.
A man, believed to be in his 40s, was taken to hospital.
Yesterday, the house, which was badly damaged, was boarded up while police continued their investigations.
Families have told how a group of people helped to pull the man from the house.
A woman spotted smoke coming from the top floor and rang 999, while another resident and two passers-by ran to the property and brought the man out.
One man, who was part of the group, said: “A number of people came to help. A lass saw the smoke and quickly rang the fire brigade. She was shouting and I realised there was a lad inside the house.
“At the same time, a lad and a lass were passing by. They ran to the house and someone tried the door. They managed to get it open.
“I went over to help too and we all carried the man out and on to the grass. The fire brigade then came and took over.”
The woman who called the emergency crews said: “Everyone helped and pulled together. We tried to do what we could to help the man. We just hope he gets better soon.”
A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called at 11.04am to reports of a person involved in a house fire.
“We despatched a Hazardous Area Response Team crew and a double crewed ambulance. One patient was taken to the RVI.”