'Get out now, it's going to go up': Man tells of panic in Sandra Nowocinska death blaze
A man has told a jury of the moment he fled from a fire which killed a young mother at the block of flats where he lived.
Sandra Nowocinska, aged 22, died in hospital four days after the blaze in Horsefair, Kidderminster.
She was discovered unconscious in her bedroom by firefighters after inhaling smoke. A five-year-old boy suffered burns but survived.
Her neighbour Mark Moat is accused of starting the fire that killed her by setting a wheelie bin alight in a passageway next to the flats, where he also lived, while he was drunk.
He denies manslaughter and two counts of arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.
Paul Ablitt, who lived opposite Moat, 43, at the time of the fire in November 2014, told Worcester Crown Court he was alerted by the smoke alarm going off on the landing.
He emerged from his room to see smoke filling the landing.
He said he was not immediately concerned as the smoke alarms had occasionally been set off when Moat had burned toast.
But it soon became clear how serious the situation was.
Mr Ablitt told the court: "I was stood where my front door was, looked down and could see the glow of fire coming through the crack at the bottom of the stairs.
"I knew there was something on fire down the stairs.
"I went downstairs to look what was going on.
"The first bin on the right of the door was on fire. The bin was melting away in the flames."
Mr Ablitt told how he raced into action to try to stop the fire from spreading but it soon became clear it was getting out of control.
He said: "I pulled the other bins away to try to stop it spreading. I couldn't get to the fire extinguisher because of the heat from the bin.
"I went back upstairs and shouted (to his neighbours) 'get out now, I think it's all going to go up' as by that time it was on the wall and the ceiling of the passageway.
"I grabbed my phone to phone the fire brigade and went downstairs.
"By that time the passageway was engulfed in flames."
The fire continued to spread while Ms Nowocinska and her partner Fabian Kobusinski remained in their flat.
Mr Kobusinski escaped from the flat by jumping from the first floor window but Ms Nowocinska did not get out.
The prosecution claim Moat, of Wilkins Close, Highley, near Bridgnorth, started the fire but he told police he had been asleep when it started. Firefighters found him in his room and led him to safety.
Mr Ablitt told the court he kicked on Moat's door amid the panic but at that stage knew he had to get himself out.
He said he saw Moat outside the flats after he had got out speaking to police.
Mr Kobusinski was sitting on the pavement crying, Mr Ablitt said.
The trial earlier heard how Moat had a history of making 999 calls and threatening to start fires.
The trial continues.
