Man in hospital after entering blazing house to save dogs (From The Northern Echo)

Man in hospital after entering blazing house to save dogs

8:00am Monday 13th February 2012 in News By Gavin Havery, Reporter (Derwentside & Tyneside)

critical condition after returning to his burning home to rescue his dogs.

The 29-year-old, named locally as Dean Day, was rushed to hospital following a fire at his semidetached home.

Mr Day’s 27-year-old partner, named by neighbours as Hayley Evans, was also taken to hospital, believed to be suffering the effects of smoke inhalation.

Durham Police initially described Mr Day’s condition as “potentially lifethreatening”

after he suffered burns to his face and upper body in the blaze at his home in Dunelm Way, Peterlee, east Durham.

A police spokesman said Mr Day was in an induced coma in Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in a critical, but stable, condition.

It is thought the couple have two sons, who were said to have been at primary school when the fire broke out in the upstairs of the house at about 1pm on Friday.

Four fire crews were sent to tackle the blaze, which saw the property’s roof collapse shortly after firefighters were ordered to get out.

Two fire engines from Peterlee fire station, along with one from Durham City and an aerial ladder platform attended the incident.

Richard Morgan, crew manager at Peterlee fire station, said: “The couple were outside when we arrived and were taken to hospital almost immediately as we got there.

“He had burns to his face and upper torso, but both were conscious. The man went back in to get his dogs, although people did try to stop him going in.”

A man had to be evacuated from the house next door and a nearby road was closed during the incident.

Police are investigating the incident, but the cause was unknown last night.

Neighbour Karen Nord, 44, was at home with daughter, Kayleigh Young, 23, when they spotted the smoke. She said: “We phoned the fire brigade and ran over. The police car pulled up with two people in it and asked if there was anyone in there, but they had already got out.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101.

􀁧 FIFTY tonnes of hay were destroyed in a barn blaze in the Heath View area of Station Town, near Wingate, County Durham.

Firefighters from Peterlee, Wheatley Hill and Durham were called to the outbuilding just after 11pm on Friday, but the barn was already well alight.

Crews were still at the scene on Saturday morning.

The cause of the blaze is not yet known.