'Hero' sickness beneficiary saves woman from blazing home

A Christchurch sickness beneficiary is being hailed a hero for saving an elderly woman from her blazing home.

Thirty-eight-year-old Robert Johnson was dropping a friend home when he saw flames and smoke coming from a Blenheim Rd home at 1.30am yesterday.

"I ran across the road. Another guy there kicked the door open and a security guard turned up as well," he told The Press.

"All three of us tried getting in, but the smoke and heat forced us back out again. We could hear the lady in there, but she couldn't come to the door."

Mr Johnson heard the woman calling out again and he thought, "Bugger this, she can't stay in there I'm going in".

Flames had spread throughout the bedroom, but he was determined to find her.

"Flames had spread through the whole room. There was just a wee bit of an area where she was that wasn't on fire.

"I found her crouched down in the bedroom behind her TV in the corner. I threw the TV out of the way, grabbed her and dragged her out the door.

Mr Johnson said the woman was conscious but had burns to her head, chest, neck and back, and her nightgown had "melted".

Christchurch Fire Service assistant area fire commander Dave Burford praised Mr Johnson's actions.

"He probably saved her life."

Mr Johnson, who escaped injury, said he would "do it again" if faced with the same situation.

- NZPA