Retired firefighter saves 100-year-old Ferryhill neighbour from chip pan blaze (From The Northern Echo)

Retired firefighter saves 100-year-old Ferryhill neighbour from chip pan blaze

8:40am Friday 3rd February 2012 in Spennymoor News By Ian Noble, Reporter (Shildon and Spennymoor)

A RETIRED firefighter has told how he helped save the life of his 100-year-old neighbour when a chip pan blaze threatened to engulf her house.

Eddie Spence, 73, braved billowing smoke as he raced to tackle the flames in Eva Kelly’s home.

Mr Spence, who worked at Ferryhill fire station and was a firefighter at the Black and Decker factory in Spennymoor, extinguished the blaze, which started as the widow prepared lunch on the afternoon of January 26.

The flames had nearly reached the kitchen ceiling of the house, in Ferryhill, but Mr Spence’s prompt actions saved Mrs Kelly from injury and the property from serious damage.

He said: “I live opposite her and was in the garden when I heard the smoke alarm.

“I saw smoke coming out of the door. I knew something was wrong, so I went in and I found the chip pan on fire with the flames flaring.

“I was glad to help her. I don’t think I was brave, and I just used my experience to put out the fire.”

Eddie Spence

"I thought the house could go up and I took a towel and wet it and put it over the pan and used it to put out the flames.

“I was glad to help her. I don’t think I was brave, and I just used my experience to put out the fire.”

When the emergency services arrived, Mrs Kelly was outside the house wrapped in a blanket. She said: “I thought I had switched the pan off. Eddie came across and put a towel on top of it to put it out.

"He was marvellous. He was very brave and he came straight in.”

Spennymoor Fire Service has 25 deep fat fryers to hand out as they seek to rid homes of old-fashioned chip pans.

Officers, who gave a fryer to Mrs Kelly, have worked with Durham County Council’s Safe Durham Partnership on the scheme.

Mr Spence and Mrs Kelly joined the fire crews for dinner at the station yesterday.

Robin Turnbull, manager for the Spennymoor area, said of Mr Spence: “We are very grateful for his actions as it could easily have been much worse. Normally, we would not recommend going into the house, but with his experience it was okay this time.”