Police have praised the 'heroic' firefighters who saved a man's life after rescuing him from a burning flat. Crews carried the man to safety after the blaze broke out in a kitchen of a block of apartments in Salford on Monday night.
Their incredible bravery was praised by police, who described the rescue operation as 'nothing out of the ordinary for our partners in the fire service but heroic nonetheless'. The man was later taken to hospital for 'precautionary checks'.
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Onlookers described how the area became 'very smoky' after the fire broke out at about 8pm on Liverpool Road. A number of neighbouring flats were also evacuated with residents sheltering in the nearby Coach and Horses pub.
Pictures from the scenes show a badly damaged kitchen and smoke pouring out of a first floor window. Liverpool Road was closed off between Lord's Street and Fir Street, with police and paramedics also at the scene.
A statement on the GMP Eccles, Cadishead, Barton & Irlam Facebook page said: "GMFRS, Ambulance and Police responded to a flat fire this evening on Liverpool Road jt School Lane in Cadishead. Heroically, firefighters from Irlam and Eccles station entered the burning flat and carried the occupant out, subsequently saving his life.
"Nothing out of the ordinary for our partners in the fire service but heroic nonetheless. A separate thank you to local takeaways for providing refreshments to those in need and for the Coach & Horses pub for providing warm shelter to residents, whilst their homes were made safe."
The owner of the nearby Zara takeaway also provided drinks to the emergency services and evacuated residents. He said: "There was a lot of emergency services at the scene, it was very smoky and lots of people were all stood outside. They were waiting for more than two hours - it looked like a big fire from one of the rooms on the ground floor."
A Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) spokesperson said: "At 7.52pm on Monday, September 26, two fire engines from, Agecroft and Eccles fire stations attended a fire in a flat on Liverpool Road. GMFRS crews are also being supported by colleagues from Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.
"The fire involved the kitchen of a residential property and firefighters rescued one casualty from the building. The causality was taken to hospital for precautionary checks and a further causality was checked at the scene by paramedics. Firefighters used two breathing apparatus and one hose reel to extinguish the fire."
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