Published: Wednesday, 25th June, 2008 11:00
Woman’s brave blaze flat rescue
By Julie Gilbert
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THANK YOU: Ann Clark with the man she rescued, Joe Beck
Pic by: Stewart Robertson
A woman risked her life to save a man trapped in a burning building as fire ripped through a block of flats.
The fire, which started in a ground floor flat on Onslow Road, Drumry, on Saturday afternoon, quickly took hold.
Some residents were able to escape via the common stairs but the fire spread so rapidly that others became trapped.
As people on the first floor jumped from windows, those higher up were left stranded, choking in the smoke-filled building, until fire crews arrived to rescue them.
Instead of jumping however, Ann Clark, 36, chose to battle the smoke, and saved the life of a man who had passed out.
She told the Post how her mother had been tragically killed in a fire and this was what spurred her on to pull unconscious Joe Beck to safety.
She said: “He wasn’t in any fit state to walk so I put him on the floor and dragged him.
“The fire was in the bedroom.
“A fireman said if I’d been there another five seconds the smoke would have got me.
“It’s scary looking back but at the time you don’t think, you just do it.”
Ann added: “I lost my mum in a fire 20 years ago.
“So I know what it’s like to lose someone to fire.”
The two had never met before but on Tuesday Joe thanked Ann for her courage, saying: “I owe her my life.”
John McDaid, 46, who lives in a first floor flat praised Ann’s actions and told the Post she showed amazing bravery.
He and Jim Clark, Ann’s father were also helping neighbours escape but ended up in trouble themselves.
Looking back, John told Post: “We could have croaked it.
“Two firemen guided Mr Clark and myself out of the building.”
Firemen rescued two other residents on the top floor by ladder.
Once outside residents were able to take in the full effect of the blaze.
John said: “They’d had to block off the street — buses and cars had to be re-routed.”
The residents were all given gas and air and advised to go to hospital in case of problems with smoke inhalation.
A spokesman for Strathclyde Fire and Rescue said: “The incident commander was faced with a severe fire in a ground floor flat.
“Additional resources were requested with a total of five fire appliances in attendance at the height of the blaze.
“A joint investigation by the fire brigade’s investigation team and the police into the cause of this fire is currently under way.”
The council has arranged alternative accommodation for the worst affected residents but others are still living in the smoke damaged close.
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