A NEIGHBOUR came to the rescue of two men when their home caught fire in the middle of the night.

Jarek Dabrowski called 999 after seeing smoke billowing from a window in the house in Oriel Street, Deane, at around 11.10pm on Wednesday. The 40-year-old had knocked the door at the property but could get no answer.

Just as firefighters were preparing to force the door open the two male occupants of the building were woken up by the knocking and were led out of the building by firefighters.

The fire had started after one of the occupants had started cooking on a grill and had fallen asleep on the settee. The other man was asleep upstairs.

Thankfully, the fire did not spread and the two men were unharmed but the property was left badly smoke damaged.

Mr Dabrowski said: “At about 11 o’clock I heard some fire alarms. I went outside and there was smoke coming from the kitchen window in the back.

“I knocked on the door and there was no answer, I thought nobody was in so I rang the fire service. The fireman said that I had done a good thing. I think anyone would do the same thing I did. I think they would do the same for me.”

Mr Dabrowski, who has lived in Oriel Street for six years, added that he knew the two men living next door but had not had a chance to speak to them since the incident. The fire service hopes that the incident will highlight the importance of smoke alarms.

The incident came less than 24 hours after a man fell asleep while smoking in a flat in Mere Gardens, Bolton, and a neighbour then also raised the alarm.

Speaking about last night’s incident. watch manager at Bolton Central, Tony McKenna said: “It just goes to show the importance of smoke alarms.”

To book a free fire safety check with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, go to www.manchesterfire.gov.uk or call 0800 555 815.