Heroic Blackburn teenager rescues disabled boy from fire (From Blackburn Citizen)

Heroic Blackburn teenager rescues disabled boy from fire

11:14am Wednesday 9th January 2013 in News By Lisa Woodhouse, Assistant picture editor

A DISABLED seven-year-old boy was dramatically rescued by a neighbour after a fire at his home in Blackburn.

Heroic Jordan Barnes, 18, was alerted to the fire at the Fowler Height Close home in Livesey, Blackburn, by the boy’s mother.

He said: “I heard a knock at the door and my neighbour said her disabled son, who was asleep upstairs, needed rescuing. I ran into the house and upstairs to his bedroom, disconnected him from his machines, picked him up and ran out of the house with him. The house was full of smoke. I didn’t think about the dangers, I just wanted to get the little lad out.”

The mum, who didn’t want to be named, said: “Jordan has been brilliant. I’m very grateful for everything he has done. My son has cerebral palsy and needs a wheelchair and Jordan came to his rescue.”

The woman’s other children, aged 11, nine, and five, were safely evacuated from the house.

Watch manager Dave Hilliard said: “We were called to the scene at around 6.15pm after reports of a kitchen fire.

“The woman had left her handbag on the hob and was distracted with one of the children.

“We believe one of the children may have switched on the hob which has caused the handbag to set alight.

“The family had a lucky escape from what could have been a very serious fire.”

The fire has caused extensive damage to the surfaces and smoke damage to the property.