Homeless hero saves deaf man in dramatic fire rescue

A HOMELESS hero has told how he rushed into a smoke-filled flat to save a hard-of-hearing man who did not realise his smoke alarm was going off.

• Keith McGregor in front of the flat where the fire broke out on Friday

Keith McGregor, 40, braved the choking fumes of a kitchen fire in Niddrie to rescue the 48-year-old.

Mr McGregor had been visiting his cousin in the block when the blaze broke out in the flat above, caused by a cooker which had been left on.

Seeing smoke in the stairwell, he ran upstairs into the flat, and turned off the stove before attempting to drag the casualty to safety.

Overcome with smoke, he failed to pull the man clear of the flat on Niddrie Marischal Street but returned for a second attempt before firefighters took over.

Fire crews rescued the man, who by that time was thought to be semi-conscious, and extinguished the blaze.

Both men were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene on Friday afternoon.

"The firemen said if I had not went in he would have been a goner," said Mr McGregor, who is currently staying with relatives. "I was just round visiting my cousin and uncle who live on the ground floor of the stair when it happened.

"The fire alarm had been going off for ages and when my cousin asked me to take her dog out the back I went into the stair and it was full of smoke.

"I ran up the stairs but didn't even have to kick in the door, I just turned the handle and let myself in. I had to cover my mouth with my jacket to get through the smoke and saw that four rings on the cooker were on as well as the oven.

"So I opened all the windows and turned off the cooker then tried to drag the guy, whose face was black with soot, out of the house.

"I did what I could to get him out but the smoke was really bad and I had to get out myself to take a breather.

"I went back but then the fire brigade came, who were brilliant, they were straight in."

Mr McGregor's cousin, 46-year-old Alice Wood, said the fire victim was hard of hearing.

She added: "I smelled the smoke but couldn't go up there because of my asthma. But Keith ran in and opened all the windows and tried to save him. The firemen said afterwards that if he had been five minutes later the man could've been killed."

Lothian and Borders Fire Service watch manager Craig Smith said Mr McGregor's actions were admirable, but added that the fire service should always be called immediately after a blaze is detected.

He said: "It is better to call the fire service first. In this instance Mr McGregor took a risk to save this gentleman and it was a brave thing to do. The correct thing to do is to call us straight away."

Mr McGregor, who was made homeless several weeks ago after splitting from his girlfriend, hopes to be awarded a council house soon.

"I don't know where I'm staying these days - just here there and everywhere," he said.

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