Man saved from smoke-filled house

The man, named locally as Paul Bottomley and believed to be in his mid-forties, was pulled from his smoke-filled Rathlyn Avenue home by firefighters.

Crews from Blackpool and Bispham fire stations were called after pensioner Jim Lewis, who lives near the house, noticed smoke and flames in the back window of his neighbour’s home at around 12.50pm.

He said: “I was sitting in the front room and I smelled burning and I thought some wires in the house had gone. I went all around the house and I couldn’t see anything and then I went out the back and I saw the smoke pouring out of the kitchen.

The fence at the back of the property which was broken by fire crews

“I went out and banged on the door and shouted, ‘Paul, it’s Jim!’ - but all the smoke came out of the letter box into my face.”

Four teams of firefighters wearing breathing apparatus had to break down the garden fence and back door to gain access to the kitchen, where Mr Bottomley was found on the floor.

Neighbour Tracy Jordan, 38, said: “They couldn’t get in the front door to get him out so they had to kick the gate down to get through. I saw them go in and then all I could see was them getting him into the back garden on a stretcher.

The mum-of-one added: “They weren’t sure if anyone was inside at first, then I heard them shouting ‘He’s still inside’, and then they shouted to roll him onto his back.”

Patrick Thompson, watch manager at Blackpool fire station, said: “The next-door neighbour had noticed the smoke coming from the rear of the property. All the doors were secured when he arrived so he phoned for the fire service. We made our way to the back of the house and forced our way through the door into the heavily smoke-clogged kitchen.

“Four firefighters quickly located a casualty and rescued him.

“Paramedics were also at the scene and they administered first aid before taking him to Blackpool Victoria Hospital.”

He added that the fire was accidental, and is believed to have broken out while Mr Bottomley was cooking.

He said: The smoke detectors clearly hadn’t been working for some time. It’s very important for all houses to have working smoke detectors and if they don’t the fire service can organise to have them installed for free.”

If you need a fire alarm installed, call the fire service on 08001691125.