Firefighters awarded medals for bravery

3:52pm Friday 4th April 2008

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BRAVE firefighters have relived how they saved the lives of five people trapped in an unsafe bed and breakfast.

The crew members spoke as they were honoured for their part in tackling the blaze which ripped through Jay's Bed and Breakfast, Bolton Road, Blackburn, in 2006.

Seven members of the Green Watch from Blackburn fire station were given chief fire officer's commendations, while firefighters Tony Gaffney and Shane Ramsdale were given prestigious Bravery Medals.

Chief Fire Officer Peter Holland said he was "incred-ibly proud" of the men, especially Mr Gaffney and Mr Ramsdale, who he said went "beyond the call of duty" by staying in a fire and smoke-logged bedroom to look for a man reported to be trapped, despite temperatures so high that they were scalded by their own boiling sweat.

The fire started in an upstairs bedroom on the even-ing of December 6 and residents tried to put it out, wedging open fire doors and windows to disperse smoke.

But the smouldering ashes relit, and the open doors created a blowtorch effect which sucked the flames and smoke into a second corridor and trapped three people on the first floor.

There was no fire evacu-ation procedure, and the bus-iness was used mostly by people placed by social services.

"Many were under the influence of alcohol and drugs and could not tell crews who was left in the building.

Firefighter John Riley, 42, of Oswaldtwistle, was the first to go in with firefighter Lee Pennington, of Chorley.

He said: "Conditions were awful. It was incredibly hot and very smoky - we couldn't see a thing."

Mr Riley rescued one man, who said there was another trapped in the room.

Firefighters Gaffney and Ramsdale took over the search, unaware the man was being rescued by ladder from the window.

One resident broke his leg after jumping from a first-floor window, while two were found on the ground floor.

Mr Gaffney, 36, of Oswaldtwistle, said: "It was pande-monium. Everyone had about four different jobs to do, and people just seemed to be running out left, right and centre so we had no clue who might still be in there.

"It's nice to get recognition, but ultimately it's about doing the job and saving lives."

Mr Ramsdale, 32, of Tarbuck Crescent, Blackburn, added: "Even in conditions where you are getting burnt, if you are told there could be someone trapped, you stay a bit longer, until it becomes completely unbearable."

More than 30 firefighters were needed to tackle the blaze at its height and owner Naser Yasen was later fined £6,557 after admitting three breaches of fire safety rules.

The Chief Fire Officer gave commendations to: Firefight-ers Riley and Pennington, Watch Manager Keith Cunliffe, of Clitheroe, Crew Man-ager Damien Hartley, of Colne, Firefighter Nick Lee, of Clitheroe, Firefighter Gary Hamer, of Clayton-le-Moors, and Firefighter David Byers, of Fulwood.

Mr Yasen, who re-opened the bed and breakfast in January, said: "I really appreciate what they did for me and the residents.

"Everything is in order now - I have just been inspected by the fire service and given the all-clear."