Mystery passer-by praised for tackling fire in flat (From The Oxford Times)

Mystery passer-by praised for tackling fire in flat

9:30am Tuesday 12th March 2013 in News

A HAVE-A-GO hero was last night thanked for helping tackle a fire in a flat above a Wallingford hair salon.

Mikaela Martin, 44, who runs Spirit Hair Company in High Street, said the blaze broke out at about 1pm on Friday.

Ms Martin, from Uxbridge, Middlesex, said the passer by, known only as ‘James’, grabbed a fire extinguisher from the George Hotel to tackle the blaze.

She added: “The woman who lives in the flat came out with her dog and this man who was going past had spotted there was a fire.

“After grabbing the extinguisher he went running up the stairs into the smoke.

“I didn’t see him, but people have told me he got a fire extinguisher from the hotel so he could help.

“The firefighters arrived a few minutes later and did a great job.

“The owner of the flat seemed okay but the fire, which started in the kitchen, caused quite a lot of damage. We are really pleased the fire didn’t spread because some of the buildings in High Street are hundreds of years old and the fire could have spread right along the street. The lofts are old and there are lots of timber beams.

“I would love James to come into the salon because we will give him a free haircut and buy him a drink.”

Oxfordshire Fire Service spokesman Martin Crabtree said the flat owner was treated by ambulance staff after breathing in smoke.

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