Father is blaze hero
A father rescued his one-year-old baby daughter from a fire at their Staffordshire home but was overcome with smoke when he returned to save his partner. Kurt Gardener and Simone Hodgkiss were overcome by fumes. A father rescued his one-year-old baby daughter from a fire at their Staffordshire home but was overcome with smoke when he returned to save his partner. Kurt Gardener and Simone Hodgkiss were overcome by fumes. All three went to hospital after the drama at the two-bedroom bungalow in Sycamore Way, Huntington, yesterday morning. A neighbour alerted the fire service. Firefighters in breathing apparatus dragged Mr Gardener, aged 27, out and then rescued Miss Hodgkiss, 29. She was resuscitated by ambulance paramedics and all three were given oxygen before being taken to Staffordshire General Hospital where Miss Hodgkiss's condition is "stable". Read the full story in the Express & Star.
All three went to hospital after the drama at the two-bedroom bungalow in Sycamore Way, Huntington, yesterday morning.
A neighbour alerted the fire service.
Firefighters in breathing apparatus dragged Mr Gardener, aged 27, out and then rescued Miss Hodgkiss, 29.
She was resuscitated by ambulance paramedics and all three were given oxygen before being taken to Staffordshire General Hospital where Miss Hodgkiss's condition is "stable".
The couple have a second child who had been staying the night with relatives.
Det Sgt Elliott Williams said that the fire had started at about 5.30am.
Mr Gardener took the child to a neighbour's house before going back inside.
Watch Commander Neil Griffiths, of Cannock fire station, said 18 firefighters from Cannock, Penkridge and Stafford attended the incident.
He said: "A chip pan had been left unattended on the electric cooker and the couple had fallen asleep.
"There was no door on the kitchen and the smoke spreads through the bungalow.
"Fortunately they had had a smoke alarm fitted by the fire service and that saved their lives, the man was able to get the child out and then went back in for his partner," he said.
