Hero neighbours raced into a burning home to save an 87-year-old grandmother after her daughter watched the terrifying fire unfold on a doorbell camera. Phyllis Day, who has Alzheimer's, was asleep when a blaze broke out in the utility room of her home in Wigston, Leicestershire, around 11:30 pm last week.
Daughter watches rescue remotely
Daughter Suzanne Wright, 56, was at home five miles away when she was woken by the doorbell alarm. She watched as approximately eight people tried to smash their way inside, initially thinking they were drunk thugs attacking her mother's home. Using the intercom system on the doorbell, she realised they were neighbours and guided them to a key box outside.
Suzanne, a full-time carer for her mother, said: 'It was just pure luck that her neighbours saw the flames and dashed round to help. I was asleep when I received an alert from the doorbell camera. I could see men without tops on hammering on the door, and my first thought was they were drunk or trying to break in. There were then lots of people outside trying to ram their way inside, and a man was shouting 'get out, there's a fire'. I was able to speak to them on the intercom and explained I lived elsewhere, but my mum was inside.'
Neighbours brave smoke and flames
Neighbours Pav Sarpal, 28, and Stephan Smart, 44, ran into the house to rescue Phyllis. Pav said: 'It's the worst thing I've ever seen. All I could see were flames and smoke, and it was getting worse by the second. When the door opened, I ran in first, but I couldn't breathe. I told Stephan to get me a towel so I could go upstairs where Phyllis was asleep. I was coughing so much, the smoke was everywhere. It felt like I was being physically choked. I had to run downstairs twice to get fresh air before heading up to bring Sue's mum down.'
Stephan added: 'I just saw flames coming straight through the kitchen door. I panicked a little, but I knew somebody was upstairs and I had to get her down quickly. When we found her bedroom, we woke Phyllis up, but she looked at me like I was going to rob her. I told her there was a fire and she needed to come with us, and we gently got her out of bed.'
Another neighbour hears explosion
Another neighbour, Dean Archer, 30, rushed to help when he heard a loud explosion from inside the house. The three men helped Phyllis down the stairs and out the front door. Fire investigators believe an electrical fault in the kitchen or utility room may have started the blaze.
Suzanne said her mother, who has lived alone since her husband Charlie died in 2018, could not hear the smoke alarms because she had removed her hearing aids before bed. She said: 'My mum took her hearing aids out, which is why she couldn't hear the smoke alarms. She was completely oblivious to the fire.'
Fire service warns against entering burning buildings
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said: 'While we understand that the neighbours acted in the best intentions in rescuing the resident, we would urge the public not to enter buildings that are on fire, for any reason, as doing so endangers more lives. Smoke inhalation can quickly disorientate, injure and incapacitate.'
Phyllis, who has ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, will stay with Suzanne until her home is repaired. Suzanne added: 'I cannot thank the neighbours enough. They are absolute super heroes and I think King Charles should knight them all.'
