By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

A GROUP of men risked their safety to rescue an elderly man trapped inside a burning Stapledon Gardens home on Monday, with one rescuer describing the experience as “wonderful”.

Vaklev Bastian said he was driving through the area shortly before 3pm when he noticed a large amount of brown smoke and decided to investigate.

“When I looked to the left, I saw a lot of brown smoke, so I was very curious. So I said, ‘Let me even see where the smoke is coming from.’ And as I went up in the back of Stapledon, I followed the smoke and saw where it came from,” he said.

Mr Bastian said he soon realised someone was trapped inside the residence after seeing a neighbour on the phone calling the Fire Services. He immediately stopped his car and joined another man who had also arrived after noticing the smoke.

He said the men were told the trapped man was inside the bathroom, prompting them to try to reach him. They managed to force open the bathroom door but were unable to enter because the area was filled with flames.

“We got the bath door open. We had to actually kick the bath door open. We got it open. We couldn't go inside because the side was full of fire,” he said.

The men attempted to use a hose to contain the flames while trying to get the man to safety, but Mr Bastian said the effort was unsuccessful. He eventually told the trapped man to make his way towards the back door, but the man was too frightened to leave through the burning house.

Mr Bastian said the rescue effort lasted approximately 15 to 20 minutes before the men found another way to get him out. They placed a ladder through the bathroom window, allowing the man to climb towards the opening.

“And he crawled up to the bathroom window with a ladder. We had to put a ladder inside the window for him to climb up on a ladder. We pull them through,” Mr Bastian said.

He estimated that about eight or nine men gathered at the scene and worked together to rescue the man. Mr Bastian said he believed the man was more than 60 years old and possibly close to 70.

Reflecting on the rescue, he said he was simply grateful that he and the other men were able to help.

“It was wonderful, man. That's what we were born to. That's what we were forgiving for the help,” he said.

Police said they were alerted shortly before 3pm on Monday to a structural fire at a residence on Landrail Close, Stapledon Gardens, where they were informed that a man was trapped inside.

Fire Services were dispatched and, upon arrival, officers found a single-storey duplex with one unit engulfed in flames. Neighbours had already rescued the man before police arrived. Emergency Medical Services assessed him at the scene before transporting him to hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation.

Firefighters brought the blaze under control and extinguished it. One unit sustained extensive damage, while the adjoining unit suffered smoke damage.

Police said the cause of the fire is unknown and the investigation remains ongoing.