Alert 12-year-old saves family home from fire

A BRAVE 12-year-old whose quick thinking saved his family's home from being destroyed in a fire is to be rewarded.

When Jadon Hagan returned from a friend's birthday party to find his house in Bredon Way, Stourport, filled with smoke, he knew exactly what to do - remembering the advice of firefighters when they visited his school two years earlier.

Covering his mouth and nose with a towel to reduce smoke inhalation, the courageous youngster located the fire in his bedroom and closed all the doors and windows to stop it spreading.

After checking there was nobody in the house, he then picked up the telephone, walked outside and dialled 999.

He is now set to receive official recognition for his actions when he meets firefighters at Kidderminster Fire Station to be presented with a certificate on Saturday evening.

His proud mother, Samantha, who will accompany her son on a tour of the station, told the Shuttle/Times and News she was "amazed" by his quick thinking.

Explaining the fire had been started in May by a faulty electric blanket, she said: "The house could have burnt down and it is Jadon's quick actions that I thank for it not doing so.

"It just goes to show that when the fire brigade goes into schools, it works."

Jadon, who has just completed his first year at Hagley High School, picked up his fire safety knowledge as a pupil at St Wulstan's Primary in Stourport.

He is now urging other children to pay attention when firefighters visit their schools, saying it could help them to save lives.

"When I opened the door I thought it was the cooker and someone might be in there so I got a towel, went upstairs and saw my room was full of smoke," he said.

"By then my chest was hurting a bit because of the smoke so I came out and called the fire brigade."

Community fire safety officer, Adrian Moore, said: "This is about promoting our schools education programme and the work we do and it's a good news story about fire for a change."

He added: "He did all the right things, closing doors, making sure nobody was in the house and calling us."