Postie saves elderly man from fire

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A postman's keen sense of smell could be the reason an elderly man in Balclutha is still alive.

Robert Knight was working his post round on Saturday morning when he smelt smoke coming from the house of the 90-year-old.

Speaking to The Southland Times yesterday, Mr Knight said he approached the back of the house to see what was happening when he saw the kitchen was in a grey haze.

Looking in through the window he saw a frypan alight on the stove, but the elderly man sitting in the next room was oblivious to it, he said.

Mr Knight entered the house and yelled to the man to get out, but the smoke was so thick he had to leave instantly, he said.

"The first time I went in I called out to the guy and he turned around and saw the smoke, but by then I couldn't breathe and went outside again and got my breath back."

Entering the house for the second time, Mr Knight helped the "crippled" man through the smoke-filled kitchen and out the only exit.

As they left, the pan let off a puff of flames, which began lapping at the kitchen cupboards, he said.

"By the time I went in the third time it was just black. If it had been another minute I would not have gone in – I couldn't see a thing and had to feel my way out."

Mr Knight used an old potato sack to put out the flames before looking through the remainder of the house.

He said the man was lucky to be alive because the only other exit from the building was blocked by furniture.

"If I didn't go in, I don't know how he would have gotten out."

The man would not alert the fire brigade to the near miss because he did not want any attention, Mr Knight said.

Constable Andrew Denny, of Balclutha, said police had been called about the man when he did not want to report the incident and were working with social agencies to get him home help.

The elderly man could not be contacted yesterday.