Hero saves OAP from house fire

Andrew Spouse, 26, from Granton, has been praised after he and a co-driver Lee Demarco broke down the door of Jackie Dunn's house in Wemyss Gardens, Wallyford, and pulled him to safety.

Mr Spouse was delivering plumbing materials to a neighbouring property when he spotted the blaze at around 9am yesterday.

"I know everyone says the same thing, but you honestly don't think at the time. Afterwards you say to yourself, 'What were you doing?'" he told the Evening News.

"It took a couple of seconds to work out what was going on.

"I ran around the back but the door was locked. I tried kicking the door down a few of times but it wouldn't break. My co-driver, Lee Demarco, stepped in and did it first time.

"I said to him later, 'You must have done that before!'

"We went up the stairs and saw from the light where the fire was. I went into the back bedroom and kicked out the windows."

Mr Spouse said that, entering Mr Dunn's bedroom where the fire was burning, the smoke was so thick he couldn't see at all. "It was only when I heard a voice saying 'I can't get up' that I saw where he was.

"I dragged him to the top of the stairs but I knew I wasn't going to manage, so I dragged him to the back windows."

When firefighters arrived, they were able to put a ladder up at the back of the house and give the men oxygen while the fire was extinguished. Both men were then taken to the ERI.

Neighbour Kathleen Conroy said: "When the fire brigade and the police came, one of them said to me that he almost certainly saved that man's life."

Fire service group manager Steve Gourlay said the fire was thought to have been caused by a cigarette on a mattress.

He said: "Mr Spouse's actions would certainly have prevented further injury to the occupier, but ideally if people are able to wait, they should make sure the fire service has been called and stay outside."

Doctors released Mr Spouse from hospital later yesterday.

Meanwhile, firefighters also attended a fire at a top-floor flat in Meadowbank Crescent yesterday. A man, thought to be in his 50s, was rescued after suffering serious smoke inhalation.