Hero son drags frail mother to safety as fire rips through her Redcar home (From The Northern Echo)
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Hero son drags frail mother to safety as fire rips through her Redcar home
3:13pm Wednesday 6th March 2013 in News
'LIKE AN EXPLOSION': Christopher Reilly and his mother's fire-ravaged living room, from where he dragged her to safety
A HERO son saved his infirm mother after a blaze broke out at their home in the middle of the night.
Christopher Reilly rescued and resuscitated his wheelchair-bound mother Billie, 80, after a fire engulfed their Redcar home which was not fitted with smoke alarms.
"She has obviously dropped a cigarette around the side of the settee," he said. "The place just went up. It’s an old house. It makes you think you need to look at what you are doing in your own home.”
Mr Reilly, 46, had recently moved back to the family home on Broxa Close from Winchester to start a new job as a chef.
“I know CPR because I have just done a first aid course at work. I think it is something that everyone should do. It has helped me out in this situation," he added.
Mr Reilly stirred after smelling smoke.
"I heard my mum calling me I ran downstairs and the flames came through the door," he said. "When I opened the door it was like a fireball. It was black and the heat and smoke was unbelievable It was like an explosion.”
"She was on the floor in the living room. I picked her up and dragged her out.”
Two fire crews attended the call out at about 4.45am on Tuesday morning.
Jamie McDonald, watch manager at Redcar Fire Station, said: ““It shows the importance of smoke alarms and also the importance of disposing of smoking materials properly.”
“It could have been a lot worse but luckily he had been made aware of the fire,” he added. “She was very lucky.”
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