Northfleet man rescued from house fire by neighbour
06:00, 16 August 2019
A man leapt out of a window and onto a roof before dragging his neighbour to safety as a fire tore through his home.
Neal Read was asleep at around 7.30am on Saturday, when he was woken by the shouts of his neighbours.
“All I heard was ‘next door’s on fire’,” said Neal, 40, of Rose Street, Northfleet.
He looked outside and saw people in the street but when he realised one of his neighbours wasn’t there, he sprang into action.
“My first thought was ‘is he out?’ I didn’t really think – I’ve got nine kids and I’m a proud father – but I just reacted.
“I went upstairs and jumped out the rear bedroom window.
“I’ve been climbing on those roofs since I was a kid so I didn’t think about it.”
Mr Read made his way along the roof before he got to the rear window of his neighbour’s house, which was partly open, and looked inside.
“There was so much thick black smoke,” he continued. “It’s had quite an effect on me, mentally, it was like something out of a movie – it was all so fast. I just said ‘is there anybody in there?’ and I heard his voice, coughing and saying ‘I’m here’.
“I’ve been climbing on those roofs since I was a kid so I didn’t think about it...” Neal Read
“He came to the window – he emerged out of the smoke.
“He wasn’t panicking but he was concerned and confused. I think the smoke had taken an effect on him.
“He was on the phone to the fire brigade and they had told him to shut the door.
“A couple of minutes went by - I shouted and said we’ve got to get out. I grabbed him and lifted him out of the window and that’s when the fire brigade turned up.
“I just made sure he didn’t fall off the roof - it’s on 60 degree angle. The fire brigade put up a couple of ladders, and the firemen got up with me. Then it was safe and sound, happy days.”
Mum Rosemarie Read - who rang the Gravesend Messenger to correct reports that fire crews had saved the occupant of the burning home - said her son had acted on instinct.
“Straight away he was out his window and climbed out onto the roof,” she added. “He didn’t think - he just went out with no concern for himself or anything.
“The firefighters got ladders and helped my son get him off the roof.
“It was very scary - even my house was full of smoke.”
Five fire engines were called to the scene and crews arrived to find smoke and flames coming from the first floor of the property.
“He didn’t think - he just went out with no concern for himself or anything..." Rosemarie Read
Firefighters used hose reel jets, a covering jet and water from a hydrant to tackle the blaze before clearing smoke from the building.
The occupant was taken to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.
Meanwhile Neal said he continues to live with the after affects of the traumatic incident, but is thankful that everyone escaped unscathed.
“I’ve had flashbacks since,” he added. “He keeps himself to himself normally and I didn’t really know him, but all of a sudden I could see fear in his face - I didn’t like that.
“I feel for the guy. Now we’re friends and he’s being looked after. He’s got insurance so that’s ok. We’re just trying to help him back to his feet.”
The fire broke out in the kitchen and the cause is believed to be accidental.
