COUNTY NEWS: '˜Caped Crusader' rushes to save 91-year-old neighbour from burning flat

A mother of two has revealed how she rushed to the aid of a 91-year-old man as a fire engulfed his second-floor flat over the weekend.
Lisa Sleight from Worthing saved a 91-year-old man from his burning flat. Pic Steve RobardsLisa Sleight from Worthing saved a 91-year-old man from his burning flat. Pic Steve Robards
Lisa Sleight from Worthing saved a 91-year-old man from his burning flat. Pic Steve Robards

Lisa Sleight, 45, of Guildbourne Court, Worthing, was at home watching The Voice with her 12-year-old daughter on Saturday night (January 6) when she noticed flashing blue lights coming from the road adjacent to her building.

She ran outside to find fire crews in Ann Street, Worthing, attempting to locate a fire.

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After overhearing firefighters she quickly realised the fire was coming from a flat on the same floor as hers and ran back upstairs to locate it.

Fire crews dealing with the second floor flat fire on Saturday night. Picture: Eddie MitchellFire crews dealing with the second floor flat fire on Saturday night. Picture: Eddie Mitchell
Fire crews dealing with the second floor flat fire on Saturday night. Picture: Eddie Mitchell

She said: “I found the flat where the smoke was coming from was just a few doors away from mine.

“There was smoke coming outside the flat and the front door was open.

“I walked into the flat and noticed that the fire was in the kitchen and made my way down the hallway while calling out for my neighbour who is a 91-year-old gentleman.

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“I found him sitting in the living room, sitting in his chair. I just said to him ‘come on we need to get out of here’ and grabbed hold of him.

“He needs a walking stick to help him walk so I assisted him back out the hallway where we were met by a fireman who took him out of the building.”

Lisa said the whole flat had been engulfed with flames until firefighters arrived to help tackle it.

She helped assist the 91-year-old man down to her flat where her 12-year-old daughter tried to keep him calm.

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Lisa added: “I am a manager at Marie Curie in Durrington so I knew that the biggest concern after something like this was the shock.

“My daughter chatted to him to make sure he wasn’t affected by the whole incident before he was taken to hospital.

“He is still in there while they arrange for him to get more support while living at home.”

Lisa, who was back at work on Monday, hopes others would do the same if they found themselves in a similar situation.

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She said: “I just reacted to my instincts and didn’t really think about it.

“It wasn’t until Sunday morning when my head was muffed and my chest was really painful that I thought to go to the hospital. After a few tests they said I was fine but that I should have gone in on Saturday night.

“I just hope other people would do the same and look out for their elderly neighbours.

“I like to think I was the Caped Crusader in her pyjamas that night.”

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service sent six fire engines to the scene of the fire at 7.54pm on Saturday before leaving the scene at 9.39pm, according to a spokesman.