Family saved from blazing home by quick-thinking cyclist
CYCLIST Glen Coker ran into a burning house twice to save two members of a Beaumont Hills family before saving another member who was outside, but he insists he is not a hero.
Rouse Hill
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THE man he saved wants to nominate him for bravery award but Glen Coker says he is no hero but was just doing what others would have done in his place.
Keshwa Singh was trying to save his Beaumont Hills home from being engulfed in flames on the morning of November 5, using water from his garden hose, not realising that he was in danger himself.
That’s when the quick thinking Mr Coker stepped in, literally lifting the lanky homeowner from the back of the burning home to safety.
Amazingly, after ensuring the family was safe, Mr Coker — who suffered from smoke inhalation — hopped back on his bike and went for a 70km ride. He regularly takes part in charity rides to raise money for cancer research as one of his four grandchildren has leukaemia
The sturdy South Africa-born Mr Coker had to drag Mr Singh away from the hose before carrying the distraught homeowner to the front of the home with the wife Meena and teenager daughter Patricia by then safely outside.
His son Yogesh had been staying overnight wat his cousin’s home.
“We were very lucky that the two women banged on our front door to alert us about the fire at the back of the house,” Mr Singh said.
“We were fast asleep at that time and if not for these women and Glen, we would not be here today.
“Now when I think back and realise I was trying to put out the fire instead of getting out, I realise how dangerous it was.
“I would like Glen nominated for a bravery award because if Glen had not carried me out, I don’t think I would have survived.
“I am also trying to find the two women so that we could thank them too.
“We have lost most of our possessions but we are so blessed to be alive.”
The Singhs are currently staying in a hotel while investigations continue regarding the cause of the fire.
“God really saved us that day,” Meena Singh said. “We have lost everything but we are alive.
“We have to also thank our Sri Lankan neighbour who tried to help us by using hosing down the fire from his side of the house.
The residents at the Hotham Ave house were fortunately woken up in time by two alert women walking their dogs just before 6.3am.
“I’m no hero, mate, I just the right thing at the right time,” the 53-year-old Mr Coker told the Rouse Hill Times. “I don’t think I am brave, I was just worried about the people who were inside the house.
“The adrenaline kicked in and I never really thought twice about going in.
“I was cycling towards Vineyard for my regular Saturday morning ride when I was stopped by two ladies walking their dogs.
“They told me about the fire but didn’t have a mobile phone to contact the fire brigade.
“I gave them my phone and ran to the house shouting ‘get out of the house’ repeatedly on the top of my voice.
“The teenage daughter was out first out and told me her parents were both inside.
“I went into the house shouting again.
“The mother emerged from upstairs. I ushered her out the house. She told me that her husband was at the back.
“I could not make out if he was downstairs or upstairs. The smoke was too thick and the fire in lounge was up to the roof.
“I ducked below the smoke just next to the lounge and caught a glimpse of the husband outside on the patio trying extinguish the fire.
“By this time the whole lounge was on fire and spreading very quickly.
“I ran out the front door and around the side of the house, broke open the side gate and told the husband to leave the hose pipe and evacuate.
“He refused twice. I then picked him up and started moving towards the gate when two other guys took him from me.
“We moved to the front of the house but the husband was still convinced that he could extinguish the fire ... but we blocked him from going back.
“When the fire engines arrived I told them where the main blaze was.
“I then thanked the two ladies and went to cycle with my club in Vineyard.”
Mr Coker said he went by the house after completing his 70km ride.
“I was feeling a lot better but shaking when I rode past the burnt house again,” he said.
“I tried to find out if the family were okay but the police officer gave me no information.”
FIRE CONTAINED
Three Fire and Rescue NSW crews from Kellyville, Baulkham Hills and Seven Hills, who were at the scene at 6.36am, were able to put out the fire within half an hour.
”The fire appeared to start at the back of the house and spread to the lower level, with severe damage,” a Fire and Rescue NSW spokeswoman said.
■ Community help is welcome to help the Singhs as they try to recover from losing their home and possessions.
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