FIRE hero Ben McKenna has been praised for his bravery in rescuing his elderly neighbour from a blaze which gutted her kitchen.

The 27-year-old gas engineer carried the pensioner to safety after battling flames and choking smoke.

He raced into the terraced property after seeing smoke pouring from the kitchen, and found the woman in the living room ringing the emergency services.

He persuaded her to get out of the house, and carried her to safety a few seconds before flames engulfed the kitchen.

The fire started in the kitchen of the property in Runcorn Road, Barnton, on Monday night, and Ben has been praised for his actions.

Northwich Fire Station manager, Ant Jones, said: “I would like to praise the actions of the neighbour, who after seeing smoke helped evacuate the householder to a place of safety.

“I have no doubt his actions helped protect the woman from serious injury.”

Ben played down his bravery in risking his life to rescue the pensioner.

“Fortunately I was in the right place at the right time, and am so glad I was,” he said.

“I had just come back from a hospital appointment, and it was lucky I came back when I did.

“There was smoke billowing from the kitchen, and I ran in and found my neighbour sitting on the sofa ringing 999. She was upset and scared, and didn’t want to get off the phone.

“I told her we needed to get out, but couldn’t find the front door because the smoke was so thick, and the only way out was through the kitchen.

“I couldn’t breathe, and when I looked through to the kitchen the smoke and the flames were that bad I thought we were dead.

“I thought – it’s either stay here and choke or have a go and run for it.

“The heat in the kitchen was incredible, and I managed to pick the woman up in my arms and ran through the kitchen.

“About 20 seconds after we had got out the kitchen windows blew out.”

Mr McKenna and his neighbours cared for the pensioner until the arrival of the emergency services, and he was treated for the effects of inhaling smoke.

He did not believe the woman had been injured in the fire, and said she was being cared for elsewhere because of the fire damage to her home.

Mr McKenna said another neighbour had run into the house to help, and tried without success to kick the front door in from the street.

Station manager Jones added: “When crews arrived they were confronted with a significant blaze involving the kitchen.

“After checking that everyone was out of the property they set about tackling the blaze with hose reel jets. The crews involved in this incident did a great job in containing what was a difficult incident.”

Fire crews from Northwich and Winsford attended the blaze at about 9.40pm, and Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is offering kitchen fire safety advice on its website.