Lowestoft builder thanked for saving man from house fire

The fire in Ian Kirby's home in Lowestoft was caused when a fault in his electric heater triggered a blaze in his bedroom.

Trapped by the flames, Mr Kirby, 80, dangled over his bedroom windowsill and called for help from his home in Stradbroke Road.

Perri George and Josh Eaton, who were up a scaffold working on the plastering and rendering on a neighbouring property, took swift action to save him.

Mr Eaton dialled 999, while Mr George leapt from the scaffold, kicked the front door off its hinges and then battled through the flames up the hallway and stairs to Mr Kirby's bedroom.

Mr George grabbed Mr Kirby who was dangling out of the window and got him back through the house in a flash to safety.

Josh Eaton (left) and Perri George (right) are pictured in December 2022 as the Fire Service extinguish the blaze at Mr Kirby's home (Image: Bruno Brown)

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Mr Kirby, who is ex-navy, said: "He risked his neck to come and save my life, he didn't have to do that, and I'm not sure most people would have.

"I am forever grateful to this incredibly brave lad and his friend for calling the fire brigade, the courage is just unbelievable, it was a horrifying fire.

"His family should be really proud because they've raised a really good man there."

The fire happened on December 16 last year.

Firefighters arrived on the scene once Mr Kirby was safely out of his property and put out the blaze as neighbours were evacuated.

The fire crews told Mr George that had Mr Kirby been in the house 30 seconds longer he would have died.

Mr Kirby is hopeful work will finally soon start on the repair of his home on Stradbroke Road (Image: Bruno Brown)

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Now more than six months later, Mr Kirby is "disappointed" that work to repair his house, which has been in his family since 1986, is yet to have started.

"I am disappointed with my insurance company that the house has been left as it was since the day of the fire, it's infuriating.

"It is easier for them to move me from post to pillar and pillar to post rather than pay out and fix my house," he said.

Mr Kirby's home has been untouched since the devastating fire in December (Image: Bruno Brown)

It has been said if it wasn't for the bravery of Perri George (right), Mr Kirby would have died (Image: Bruno Brown)