Heroic estate agent saves pensioner from house fire

A quick-thinking estate agent has helped save an elderly disabled man from a house fire.

Tom Ashby, Property Centre branch partner at haart in Orpington, was driving past a group of four terraced houses in the town when he noticed smoke.

Immediately realising the situation was serious, he stopped and ran to see if he could help and found a vulnerable elderly man trying to put the fire out himself.

Tom said: “My first priority was to see if anyone needed help which is when I realised there was an elderly disabled man inside one of the houses trying to put the fire out with bowls of water.  

“I knew there was no time to waste. The man didn’t want to leave but I knew it was dangerous, so I carried him out to safety with the help of the neighbours. 

“Fortunately, we got the man out in the nick of time as shortly after a gas bottled exploded causing serious damage to the houses.  If I had got there a few minutes later, the outcome could have been very different. I am pleased I was able to help.” 
 

John Cameron, estate agency director for the south east at haart, said: ”I can’t praise Tom enough for his actions.  It is due to his quick thinking that a man’s life was saved, and he has taken it all in his stride – what a star, we are lucky to have him in our business.” 

London Ambulance Service treated the elderly man at the scene for smoke inhalation.