Teenager hailed a hero after dramatic burning-flat rescue

A BRAVE teenager who saved a man's life after dragging him to safety from his blazing flat was yesterday praised by a fire chief as exemplifying the best of Scotland's youth.

Jordan Day, a 19-year-old apprentice welder from Aberdeen, received the Chief Fire Officer's Certificate of Congratulations for Bravery at a special awards ceremony at the headquarters of the Grampian Fire and Rescue Service from David Dalziel, the region's Chief Fire Officer.

In June, he was on his way home in the early hours after a night out in the city centre when he spotted flames leaping from the veranda of the middle floor of a three-storey tenement block in Kincorth.

Braving dense smoke and flames he dragged the unconscious sole occupant of the flat, Chris Slater, to safety before rousing the other occupants of the five properties in the building and leading them to safety.

Mr Dalziel said: "There is no doubt at all that if Jordan hadn't seen the fire and made a conscious decision to go into the building and make sure that there was nobody trapped in there that the occupant would have died.

"Jordan's quick thinking and his bravery and his conscious decision to put himself in harm's way saved someone's life. And I think he exemplifies the majority of young people in Scotland's society.

"Occasionally, ordinary people do extraordinary things in extraordinary circumstances."

Mr Dalziel explained that fire crews, called to the blaze, had later discovered that the fire on the veranda had been caused by a barbecue left outside the flat which had caught alight.

He said: "The fire had started spreading into the living room where the man was asleep.

"According to the crews this was a fire which was starting to get much worse with lots and lots of smoke. All of our firefighters had to wear breathing apparatus to get into the flat and extinguish the blaze."

He added: "I can't praise Jordan's bravery enough. And it's worth noting that, in the six years that I have been Chief Fire Officer, this only the seventh time I have made an award for bravery."

Jordan said he had been walking home around three in the morning when he saw the veranda on fire and dashed into the building. He explained: "I didn't really think about it. I saw the veranda of the flat on fire in the middle floor of the tenement block. I went into the building and tried the door of the flat, but there was no reply.

"But the door was open and I went inside and there was a guy lying fast sleep or unconscious on his sofa. The flat was thick with smoke and the flames were already spreading through into the sitting room from the veranda outside.

"I tried to waken the man, but there was no response so I covered my face with my T-shirt and dragged him off the couch and out of the flat. He woke up by the time I got him outside and into the corridor. I then ran round the building to raise the alarm for the other occupants."

Jordan added: "Once the fire brigade had arrived the man I rescued came over and thanked me for what I had done."

Jordan's mother Pamela, also praised her son's courage. Mrs Day, 37, said: "I'm immensely proud - I wasn't expecting any of this."