Neighbour saved from flat inferno (From Stroud News and Journal)

Neighbour saved from flat inferno

A PAGANHILL man is lucky to be alive after an army reservist who should have been serving in the Gulf launched a resourceful rescue attempt to get him out of a blazing building.

Rob Orchard's flat in Matthew's Way was gutted after a smouldering cigarette sent it up in flames but he escaped unharmed thanks to neighbour David Tinsley's quick thinking and decisive action.

Mr Tinsley who had been called up to fight in Iraq but failed his fitness test, said: "I woke up just after 3am on Saturday morning with my smoke alarm going off.

"I made a quick search of my flat but couldn't find a fire and realised the smoke was coming in through the window. Then I looked over my balcony and saw smoke billowing out of the flat downstairs."

Pausing only to call 999 the BT engineer rushed outside to get a ladder from his BT van and climbed up onto Rob's balcony.

"I tried knocking on the window but couldn't raise him. The handle on the balcony door was really hot and I couldn't open it. I couldn't see anything in there through the smoke."

Mr Tinsley dashed back into the flats and hammered on the door to no avail. He tried smashing it down but it would not budge.

He then headed back to the balcony to find Mr Orchard being helped down the BT ladder by fire-fighters.

Mr Orchard said despite not being able to get into the flat, his brave neighbour's efforts had saved his life.

"I was woken by his banging on the door," he said. It was awful. I got out onto the balcony and the fire-fighters helped me down the ladder. I was in shock and they put me on oxygen for half an hour."

The fire started after Mr Orchard stubbed out a cigarette before going to bed at around 1am. He believes as he got up the ash tray must have been knocked over and the smouldering butt fell onto the sofa.

In the cold light of day Mr Orchard surveyed the wreckage of his flat.

"Everything's melted or smoke damaged and the electrics have been burned out," he said.

Most of his belongings were ruined by the fire, including a brand new stereo system.