Durrington dad rescues baby son from smoke-filled home

According to doctors, five-month-old Eoin was minutes from death when he was dramatically rescued from the Goring home which was filled with thick, black smoke.

Eoin's mum Sam, 23, of Chiltern Crescent, Durrington, said: "I am so proud of Andy for what he did.

"He saved Eoin's life '“ if he had been left minutes more doctors said he would not be alive now.

"It's such a scary thought and I haven't been able to sleep thinking about it.

"I'm just so relieved it did not turn out that way."

Terrifying ordeal

The baby boy was sleeping in an upstairs bedroom at the Barrington Close home of Andy and Sam's friend Julie Thorns, when the terrifying ordeal began at around 3.30pm on Monday, March 16.

They left him inside as they played with their other two children, 18-month-old Aeryn and two-year-old Malakai, in the garden.

But without them noticing, Aeryn managed to get inside the kitchen and turn on three of the electric hobs.

Smoke-filled kitchen

"This caused a wooden chopping board, which was on top of them, to start to smoke.

Sam said: "We heard a smoke alarm going off, but at first we thought it was coming from a house a few doors away.

"Then, Julie looked inside and saw the kitchen was filled with smoke.

"What happened next is all a bit of a blur, but I remember Andy opening the door and smoke pouring out.

"He went inside to get Eoin and I dialled 999."

Dangerous escape

Andy, 23, and Eoin were rushed to hospital by ambulance, where both father and son were given oxygen to help clear the smoke from their lungs.

Doctors said both should make a full recovery.

Sam said: "Andy didn't tell me until later that he nearly didn't get out the house.

"The smoke was so bad he had to feel his way through to find Eoin.

"All I could think about at the time was what if he gets to him and he's not still alive? I haven't been able to sleep since."

Smoke alarm

The couple said their eldest witnessed what happened had been affected by what he saw.

Sam said he woke up the night after screaming for his dad to get out of the house.

The family said they realise it could have been a lot worse if their friend had not had a smoke alarm, and urged others to ensure theirs are working.

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