A truck driver from Montrose has told how he rescued an old lady from her blazing home after going out on a routine job to jump start a van.
Austin Hemsley fought his way through thick smoke and flames at the house in Inverkeilor before getting the woman outside to safety, potentially saving her life.
The shy hero, 27, then went back to work but his managers at GPG in Montrose were so proud of him they decided to share the news.
‘The room was full of smoke’
Austin said: “I only told my bosses what happened but they have spoken out about it and told me they were very proud of me.”
The trainee barber – who was only working for the garage on a temporary basis – was out on a recovery job in the Angus village last Wednesday when the fire broke out.
He said: “I had finished the job and was getting back into my car when I thought I smelt smoke.
“I decided to go and investigate and that was when I saw the house in Lunan Avenue on fire.
“I ran along to the house and looked through the conservatory window.
“The room was full of smoke and there were also flames.
“It was really difficult to see but I realised there was an elderly woman sitting on a chair in the conservatory.”
‘I had to get her out’
Austin realised the old lady wasn’t moving and was terrified she had been overcome by the smoke.
He said: “I had no idea how long she had been sitting there but I knew I had to get her out.”
Austin said he managed to get into the conservatory while one of the woman’s neighbours called the fire brigade.
He said: “The smoke was thick and choking and it was hard to see where I was going.
“It was also really difficult to breath but I managed to get to her. She was conscious but I didn’t think she was going to be able to get herself out.
“I struggled to get her out of the chair but eventually I managed and got her outside as quickly as I could.”
‘We’re really proud of him’
He added: “It was really scary and my heart was racing but I just acted on instinct.
“I was just so glad I managed to get her out.”
The fire brigade and ambulance arrived quickly, with paramedics giving the woman oxygen before taking her away to be checked over.
Cheryl Milne, one of Austin’s bosses at the garage, said: “We’re all really proud of Austin – he potentially saved the lady’s life.”
A spokesman for Scottish Fire and Rescue confirmed they attended a fire at the property in Inverkeilor at around 5.30pm on August 4.
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