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Off-duty firefighter 'saved life'
An off-duty firefighter "saved a man's life" by rescuing him from a burning building, the fire service has said.
Retained firefighter Brad Wilson had just left Lyndhurst Fire Station in the New Forest when he heard shouting from a ground floor flat across the road.
He raced into the building and rescued the man, who received oxygen for smoke inhalation, on Tuesday night.
Mr Wilson said that when he saw the blaze he did not hesitate. The fire is thought to have been cooking related.
He added: "I could hear the man shouting inside and assessed the situation.
'Overcome by smoke'
"As a local resident I knew the building and deemed it safe enough to go in and help the occupant.
"There was a lot of smoke in the flat so I had to keep low and shut the kitchen door as I went past in order to keep the fire contained to the kitchen and limit damage.
"I found the man in the bedroom and within minutes we were both out of the flat."
The 999 call was received at 2258 BST to the property in High Street but the retained firefighter was already on the scene before crews arrived.
Gary Baynton, Lyndhurst acting watch manager, said: "The householder had been overcome by smoke and I believe that Brad's actions went a long way in saving his life."
