Brave teenager, 19, ran into neighbour’s smoke filled house to rescue two-year-old girl from blaze started by family dog
The lad immediately went to help after he saw the family struggling to get out of the blaze
A HEROIC teenager ran into a burning house to save a two-year-old girl and her mum, after a fire was started by the pet dog lighting a gas cooker.
Jake Pettifer sprinted into his neighbour's smoke filled home in the middle of the night when a blaze broke out.
He first heard the alarm go off and then saw a man cradling a baby running out of the building through clouds of smoke.
The 19-year-old scaffolder then risked his own life to save the man's young daughter and partner, and even went back in for their dog.
After helping to get the whole family out safety, he offered up beds in his home for the night.
He said: "I heard an alarm going off and when I looked across the road I saw a lot of smoke coming out of the front door and heard people shouting.
"I ran across and a man came out with a baby in his arms. I asked if there was anyone else inside and he told me his wife and daughter were.
"I ran upstairs and found the little girl, and the woman made her own way out.
'I only did what I think anyone else would do in that situation. I just acted on instinct'
"I was then told the dog was still inside so I went back in and called his name and we made it out.
"There was a lot of smoke and I was coughing but I knew I had to get to them.
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"It probably only lasted a few minutes but it was very frightening. There was an awful lot of smoke and the flames were fierce.
"I'm just glad they all managed to get out. I only did what I think anyone else would do in that situation. I just acted on instinct."
The fire broke out just after 1am on Friday in the kitchen, after pet dog Tyson accidentally switched the cooker on.
Nikki Cork managed to get his five-week-old son Joseph-James out of the home in Newcastle-under-Lyme, but his wife and daughter were still inside.
Nikki, 30, said: "It is scary to think what could have happened if it wasn't for Jake.
"My partner had smoke in her eyes and couldn't see. Jake went in and got my daughter and led my partner out. He's a real hero for what he did."
His partner Chenesse, 22, said: "When we heard the alarm going off we thought it was a car outside. Then Nikki saw the fire and he took the baby out.
"I went to get Lily-Irene and that is when Jake ran across. I couldn't see anything and he saved us.
"This could have been so much worse without Jake. The main thing was to get the children out safely."
The family has to temporarily move out of the home after the fire.
Firefighters wore breathing apparatus and used hose reel jets to put out the blaze. They remained at the scene for around two hours.
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