Dog owner enters burning house to try save pets - but both die in blaze

A MAN who escaped from a house blaze went back in to rescue his two dogs but was forced to escape through a window and the pet spaniels both died in the fire.

Fire crews from Pontefract, Castleford and Selby were called to a report of a fire in the kitchen at a semi-detached house at West Acres, Byram, just before 7pm last night.

Dave Smith, watch commander at Castleford Fire Station, said the 62-year-old man - who had got of the house along with his wife and adult son - went back in to try and rescue the two spaniel dogs from a bedroom at the property.

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Mr Smith said: “They all got out of the property, but the gentleman re-entered to try and rescue his two dogs. He got trapped upstairs and had to make his escape from an upstairs window on to a conservatory roof. He was very lucky to get out of the property unscathed.”

The man was rescued from the roof by a neighbour and treated for smoke inhalation by paramedics at the scene.

Mr Smith said the two dogs died from smoke inhalation.

The fire is believed to have started due to an electrical fault in the immersion heating system. The blaze caused extensive fire and smoke damage to the kitchen and upstairs rooms.

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