SWIFT action from a quick-thinking resident help ed prevent a fire in Henry Street from spreading on Friday afternoon (December 14th).

Emergency Services were alerted to the incident just before 3.30pm on Friday and two fire crews from Ross Fire Station and one crew from Hereford attended. Firefighters in breathing apparatus extinguished the fire in a bedroom of the first floor flat with one hose reel as black smoke billowed out of the window. The flat's occupant looked on in disbelief in the cold street with no shoes or jacket on. So quickly did the fire start he only had time to get himself out. Alerted to his plight, staff from the local Sue Ryder charity shop were quick to respond and gave him a coat to wear.

Station Commander Phil Griffiths from HWFRS explained: "It would seem that the occupant had lit a tea light candle in his bedroom and placed it on a television. Luckily the occupant was in the room when the fire started and was able to alert the Fire Service and evacuate the property prior to the arrival of the crews."

For the rest of this story please see this week's Ross Gazette.