Quick actions save baby from car fire

Kevin Wyatt was doing the washing up at Bilston Fire Station when he smelled smoke and saw the five-year-old Renault people carrier stranded at a roundabout on the nearby Black Country Route.

The 27-year-old, who has been in the service for five years, said: "I saw a woman panicking beside it and dashed down stairs, told the others what was happening, grabbed a dry powder extinguisher and rushed over to the scene. Some of the children were out of the vehicle but they were having trouble with the baby seat. We managed to get that sorted and I led them to safety before returning to start fighting the fire until the appliance arrived from the station moments later.

"The car was a write off but fortunately nobody was hurt.

"The family were very lucky and especially fortunate that it happened outside a fire station."

Laila Begum, from Parkfields, was rescued along with two month-old son Caleb, and daughters Aaliyah, 11, Saira, 14, Aleisha, nine, in the incident around 2pm on Sunday.

"I was driving home from shopping when smoke started coming out of the engine and the next thing I knew it was in flames," she said.

"The girls got out but I had trouble removing the baby seat with Caleb. I was panicking and it was a great relief to see the fireman arriving.

He was brilliant and I am very grateful to him and his colleagues. They saved Caleb."

Watch Commander Gurpreet Gill said: "His actions prevented what could have been a far more serious incident.

"He acted on instinct and I shall be ensuring that our bosses are informed about the great job he did."

Mr Wyatt was helped by White Watch colleagues firefighters Chris Hill, Mark Smith, Andrew Smith and crew commander Jason Loftus who arrived with the fire appliance.

The family's car was badly damaged in the fierce blaze, which is thought to have been sparked by an electrical fault.