A neighbour ‘choked on smoke’ while trying to smash windows and save his neighbour from a house fire
The hero who ‘choked on smoke’ and tried to smash open windows to desperately save his neighbour has been identified. WATCH THE VIDEO
Springfield News
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The heroic actions of a man who ‘choked on smoke’ while trying to save his neighbour from a fatal house fire south-west of Brisbane overnight have been revealed.
Emergency services were called to the home at Rowe Tce, Darra, at about 11.30pm on Monday night.
A woman was later found dead inside the home.
Darra man Savit Wani was on his way home from the laundromat at about 11.30pm on Monday night when he spotted flames at a neighbour’s home.
“At first I thought it was a barbecue or a campfire but I thought it was out of the normal so I got out and knocked on the door and window but there was no answer so I went around tot he backyard and banged on the doors and window,” Mr Wani said.
After still not getting an answer he ran back to the front of the house and noticed the roof was now engulfed in flames.
He screamed out but still got no response.
Mr Wani tried to smash a window with his hand and a chair.
“I tried to get in but the smoke was too strong, I was choking,” he said.
“I had no idea if anybody was inside. I tried, I tried, I couldn’t get just stand there and watch.
“I did what anybody else would have done.”
Mr Wani was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Woman’s Hospital and treated for smoke inhalation.
He said he was devastated when he learned his neighbour had died in the fire.
A witness, who did not wish to be named said the woman had only moved into the home about three weeks ago.
He said from what he saw the fire started in the garage, which had been converted into a bedroom.
“I saw another neighbour banging on the windows, screaming and trying to smash a window to get in,” the witness said.
Another neighbour Wilson Nguyen said he called triple-000 after hearing people screaming.
A police spokesman said a neighbour, who tried to help get put out the fire before emergency services arrived, was treated for smoke inhalation.
The Courier-Mail understands the woman’s body was found in the hallway of the Darra home.
Fire Investigators are yet to determine how the blaze started, with Queensland Police unable to confirm if the blaze is being treated as suspicious.
A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman said seven firefighting crews responded to the incident.
She said when firefighters arrived half of the house, including the roof, was engulfed by fire.
Firefighters had the blaze under control by 11.41pm but the last crew did not leave the scene until 2.34am.
A crime scene has been declared as fire investigators work to determine the cause of the fire.
Anyone with information is asked to phone PoliceLink on 131 444.
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