A RETIRED fire fighter saved the life of an elderly disabled neighbour by rescuing him from a house blaze.

Dave White used his years of experience with County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service to save the man when the fire broke out in his home at West Drive, Lanchester, at around 5.30pm last night.

The fire was started by a faulty deep fat fryer and quickly spread to the entire kitchen of the terraced property.

The disabled occupier was unable to get out, as thick smoke began to fill the other rooms.

Mr White, who lives opposite, realised the severity of the situation and rescued the man, who was suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation.

He was taken to the University Hospital of North Durham in Durham City by ambulance, along with an elderly woman, who was also in the house when the fire started.

Their condition was not thought to be serious.

Three fire crews tackled the blaze, which left the kitchen badly fire damaged, and the rest of the house smoke damaged.

Station manager Steve Wharton said a combination of the property having working smoke alarms which alerted the occupiers to the fire, and Mr White's swift actions, saved their lives.

"It was quite a severe fire which spread very quickly, and the gentleman had a disability which left him unable to evacuate himself," said Mr Wharton.

"Without the smoke alarms it could have been a very different outcome."

Mr White worked as a member of the service's community safety team after retiring as a front-line fire fighter.

Mr Wharton said: "He has followed his own advice and helped save the life of the gentleman in the property.

"Both of the occupiers have been exceptionally fortunate in that they had working smoke alarms, and in having Dave for a neighbour."

He added: "It was one of those unavoidable accidents where no-one has done anything wrong. The occupiers have followed our advice in having a deep fat fryer rather than a chip pan, but it appears there was some sort of fault with it that has caused the fire."