Man collapses after battling Worthing bathroom fire (From The Argus)

Man collapses after battling Worthing bathroom fire

3:50pm Friday 1st February 2013 in News By Neil Vowles

A man collapsed in his garden after breathing in smoke while battling a fire in his bathroom.

Firefighters rushed into a severe house fire to rescue a 40-year-old man after his radiator exploded and fire ripped through his home.

The blaze started after a faulty oil-filled electric radiator ignited in the first-floor bedroom of a home in Wordsworth Road, Worthing, at 9.50pm on Wednesday.

The man, the sole occupant of the building, was watching television in his lounge on the ground floor when he heard a bang and went to investigate.

He tried to tackle the blaze himself but was overcome by smoke within minutes and had to rush into his garden.

When firefighters from Worthing arrived on the scene, residents were waving them to the fire in concern for the man inside.

Given oxygen

Four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus found the man in the garden before bringing him to safety. He was given oxygen at the scene and was then taken to Worthing Hospital suffering from severe smoke inhalation.

The fire gutted the first and second floors of the property and was so intense it burnt through the bedroom floor.

In total, four fire crews from Worthing and Lancing, including eight firefighters in breathing apparatus, battled the blaze for almost 90 minutes.

Watch Commander Darren Wickings said the incident should serve as a reminder to all residents to have working smoke alarms and test them regularly.

He added: “Upon arrival we were faced with a rapidly developing fire, spreading into the roof void.

“Crews worked in extremely hot conditions to limit the fire and prevent it spreading to neighbouring properties.

“Unfortunately the only smoke alarm in the three-storey house had previously been removed, meaning the occupier didn’t get an early warning of the fire. If it had happened in the early hours the outcome could have been much worse.”