Postman hailed as hero for saving family from Tonbridge house fire

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A Royal Mail worker is said to have stepped in to save the day before returning to his duty delivering letters for Christmas

A postmen is being hailed as a hero after helping to save the lives of three people in a Tonbridge house fire.

Three fire engines were sent to the house, in St Paul’s Close, and fighters battled against plumes of smoke and a “large blaze” on the ground floor.


Beforehand, however, one Royal Mail worker are said to have stepped in to save the day before returning to their duty delivering letters.

Pat and Fred Lanzarotti live next door to the address and first heard the screams of the three people inside the house during the incident on December 10.

Mrs Lanzarotti described the smoke as “acrid and thick” as it trapped residents, with no flames in sight.

She said: “It was horrendous. There was so much smoke coming from the conservatory. The neighbours tried to get in the house to let them out but the door had so many locks on it that no-one could get through there.

"The postman, we don’t know who he was, went to find a ladder. It was so rickety that we had to hold it as he went up, but he managed to smash the window and get them out. The family have two Scottie dogs and they were black.


"They had to throw them out of the window and we caught them.

“When the guys all came out of the house they looked like chimney cleaners – we’re still blowing black out of our noses and I’m shaky even now.


“Everybody came together and it was such a relief to hear sirens for the first time.

“It must have happened in the space of a few seconds but it was horrific.

“It’s so awful to have something like this happen at any time of the year, but especially now it’s almost Christmas. That postman was a hero, he saved her life. He deserves a medal. He gave them the coat off his back and carried on to finish his round afterwards.”

Another neighbour said: “I don’t know who that postman was, but he needs a commendation.”


A Kent Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “Crews wearing breathing apparatus used a ladder to help rescue one casualty from the house, and tackled the fire using hose reel jets and main jets.

“Two further occupants were outside on arrival, and all three casualties were passed into the care of paramedics due to smoke inhalation.”


A Royal Mail spokesman said: “We’re very proud of our colleagues’ actions in helping residents in distress while out on their daily delivery. Their actions demonstrate exactly why our people are such highly valued members of their local communities.”

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