Hero neighbour saves two young children from raging house fire that killed their parents in Manchester
Brave Robert Chilowa rushed to blaze in his bare feet wearing only his pyjamas
A HEROIC neighbour describes the moment he rescued two small children from a raging house fire which killed their parents.
Robert Chilowa, 46, rushed to the scene of the blaze in Withington, Manchester, in his bare feet wearing only his pyjamas.
The brave Zimbabwean heard a woman’s screams in the early hours of Friday morning and jumped out of bed.
Speaking with The Sun Online, he said: “I heard a girl screaming – and my sixth sense told me something wasn’t right.
“I wasn’t even wearing my shoes. I ran out the house in my pyjamas and headed to where the noise was coming from – which was only three houses away.
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“When I got there I could see the fire – and it was really bad.”
The gutsy neighbour found a teenage girl lying on the ground in the back garden as a colossal fire raged in the bottom floor of the house.
Two small children, who were too scared to jump along with their sister, were crying out of a second floor window.
Robert said: “The moment the girl saw me she pointed at the window and said ‘save my brother and my sister’.
“I wasn’t scared for myself – I just didn’t want to see those little kids die.”
The 46-year-old, who moved to the UK in 2001 and has worked as a carer in the past, described the heroic rescue.
He said: “It was so smoky and it was blazing hot - so I couldn’t actually see very well.
“I just outstretched my arms and shouted up to the kids – please jump into my hands.
“The fire from downstairs was really bad – smoke was coming out of their window, so they no other choice but to jump.
“I outstretched my arms and asked them to jump.
“The boy jumped first and I caught him and put him on the grass
“Then the girl jumped as well and I caught her in my arms.”
The fire brigade and the police arrived soon after Robert's heroic rescue.
Five people in total were rescued from the house and are in a stable condition in hospital, according to Greater Manchester Police.
Four children, aged between 10 and 17, were injured in the devastating house fire that killed their parents.
A second man in the house also escaped the fire and remains in a serious condition in hospital.
Emergency services were called to Parsonage Road, Withington, just before 2.30am today and have launched a joint investigation into the cause of the blaze.
Fire chief Mark Threader said the fire is believed to have been started in a room at the back of the house on the ground floor.
Pictures show the glass in an upstairs window was blown out and the frame is scorched by the blaze.
Greater Manchester Police released a statement on Saturday confirming that all five of the injured are in a stable condition.
The statement read: "Five people who were rescued from a fire in Withington are all in a stable condition.
"Emergency services were called to Parsonage Road shortly before 2.30am yesterday morning, Friday 10 February 2017, to reports of a house fire.
"Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) extinguished the fire.
"Three girls and one boy aged between 10 and 17 and a man were taken to hospital. They all remain in hospital in a stable condition.
"A man and a woman sadly died at the scene and their next-of-kin have been informed.
"A joint investigation with GMFRS has been launched to establish the cause of the fire and enquiries are ongoing."
Detective Inspector Tony Lea of GMP's City of Manchester Team, said: I'm pleased to report that despite their injuries, those in hospital are in a stable condition and are recovering well.
"It is clear to me that without the brave and selfless actions of those at the time of the incident, the circumstances could have been even more tragic.
"My thanks and well wishes go out to the neighbours and to the wider community for their continued support as we carry out our enquiries."
Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting reference number 140 of 10/02/17 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.