Praise for hero neighbour who went into smoke-filled flat to rescue man from fire

Cars are not meant to be parked at Hop Pole Yard, as the signs in this picture show. The armchair to the left was damaged in the fire. Picture: Keith Callaby (Image: Archant)

A fire broke out in a ground floor flat in Hop Pole Yard, part of the St Anne’s Quarter development, off Mountergate in Norwich, on Saturday (August 15) night.

Neighbours said a young man who lived in the area noticed the smoke and had gone in to wake the person sleeping inside, before helping him get out of the property.

Keith Callaby, who also lives in the area, said: “He happened to be out in the street and saw the smoke coming out of a patio window.

“He climbed into a smoke-filled room, where he heard noises coming from the bedroom.

“I think he used the light from his mobile phone, then went into the bedroom and got the chap out.

“He deserves credit for what he did.”

Mr Callaby said the young man had been given oxygen at the scene, but was okay.

Mr Callaby said he was not sure whether the man rescued from the flat had gone to hospital, but said he his home had badly damaged by the fire and smoke.

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service were called to the flat at 10.48pm.

Crews from Carrow, Sprowston and Earlham were initially called to tackle the blaze.

They had put the fire out by 11.20pm, but Mr Callaby said inconsiderate parking could have resulted in a different outcome.

He said the fire engine was unable to drive closer to the flat because cars had parked across the road - a common occurrence in the area, despite signs warning people not to park there.

He said: “There are some cars which have been blocking the access for quite a few months.

“We have been reporting them, but they are consistently there every night and day, which is a worry for us residents.

“With the flat fire, the fire engine was not able to drive down there because the cars were in the way.

“Fortunately, it was a ground floor flat and they were able to get to it without needing to use the ladder.

“But some of the development is four storeys high, which is a worry if people are going to keep parking there and fire engines cannot get through.”

Mr Callaby said police, a paramedic and an ambulance also attended.