Fire heroes praised for quick actions

3:35pm Monday 18th February 2008

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THE actions of two two passers-by who helped to save the residents of a burning house have been praised.

Adam Doney, 25, and his girlfriend Jayne Bird, 24, from Thornton Road, Burnley, were passing the home in Brunshaw Road, early on Saturday morning when they sprung into action.

They threw stones at the windows and shouted through the letterbox, successfully waking the residents.

The fire was caused by a pan left on the oven and the kitchen was left severely damaged.

A spokesman for the fire service said: "It is fair to say that the actions of Adam and Jayne saved their lives, because the owners did not hear the smoke alarm."

Jayne, 24, said they had been for a drink at the Brunshaw Arms where she works and were walking home at 12.45am when she smelled smoke.

She said: "As we walked further the smell got stronger, but I didn't know where it was coming from.

"So we crossed the road to look.

"Then I saw the smoke coming from the house and I rushed down the drive. I could hear a fire alarm going off. But there wasn't any sign of the people.

"I was throwing stuff at the bedroom window and shouting through the letterbox to try to get their attention.

"Eventually the owners of the house came downstairs and Adam called the fire brigade.

"I gave the woman my coat and shoes because it was bitter outside and she only had her pjyamas on."

Jayne said it was "really scary" to think what might have been.

She said: "We could easily have walked a different way home or taken a taxi.

"I've had my friends ringing me saying that I'm a hero but I'm not really.

"I didn't do anything anybody else wouldn't have done in the circu-mstances.

"I went in to have a look at the kitchen after the firefighters had left.

"It was unrecognisable. It'll take months to even get the smell of smoke out of the house."

The residents of the house in Brunshaw Road were unavailable for comment last night.