November 2nd 2024.
A man with a disability has been through a terrifying experience when his Adelaide home suddenly caught fire, trapping him in his bed. Fortunately, his ex-wife and caregiver, Ros Walsh, sprang into action and rescued the 70-year-old from the flames. It all happened around 1am, when Walsh heard the man shouting for help. She immediately rushed out of her bedroom and found him in his room, with his bed engulfed in fire.
In an interview with 9News, Walsh shared her account of the incident. "I heard him yelling out 'help, help' and so I came out of my bedroom and then opened his bedroom door and his bed's on fire with him in it," she said. Despite her best efforts, Walsh could not put out the fire as the smoke and explosions became too overwhelming for her. She then made the brave decision to physically lift the man and carry him out of the burning house. "I grabbed him, threw him on the floor and dragged him out and then called Triple Zero," she recalled.
Walsh also attempted to use a garden hose to douse the fire, but she was unable to do so as the smoke made it difficult for her to breathe. The situation was dire, but thankfully, twenty firefighters arrived on the scene and managed to move the man to safety. "He would not be with us anymore, 100 per cent, 100 per cent," said grateful neighbor Dave Nottage.
The man, named Gerard, requires palliative care and is confined to his bed due to his disability. He is now recovering in the hospital and is expected to stay there for a few days. Walsh is now exploring options for permanent care for Gerard or at least respite care until his bedroom is fixed. The fire destroyed all of his medical equipment, including his oxygen tanks which exploded in the blaze. Sadly, the family also lost their beloved dog Kyah and four pet birds in the fire.
Walsh, who has lived in the house since 1987, expressed her heartbreak over the loss of her home and the animals. "My home is my home, I've been here since '87. It's my pride and joy," she said. "My animals are really important to me." The cause of the fire is still unknown, but the estimated damage is around $150,000. In light of this incident, 9News encourages everyone to download their news app to stay updated on the latest news, sports, politics, and weather, and receive notifications straight to their smartphones. The app is available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play.
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