A gravedigger who pulled a landlord unconscious from his burning pub has stated he was just doing “what had to be accomplished”.
Joe O’Rourke saved the lifetime of Asa Holmes by dragging him from the Bird in Hand in Dartmouth Road in Forest Hill on Monday.
The 46-year-old, from Macclesfield Road, South Norwood, who was not in a position to take any vacation throughout 2020 as a result of there have been so many funerals in Southwark in the course of the pandemic, stated: “All I’ve been doing is burying our bodies within the final 12 months – I assumed ‘I’m not having one other one’.”
Joe O’Rourke at Camberwell New Cemetery after his rescue
The father of two was off that day, attempting to expend his vacation on administration orders, earlier than the tip of the month – and was solely within the space so he might repay a site visitors ticket incurred when he was working.
He was attempting to break in when Asa’s distraught spouse Monika fled the constructing and instructed him the publican was nonetheless upstairs. He rushed through the pub, jumped the bar and located a collapsed Asa upstairs, dragging him downstairs by his shoulders to save his life.
Joe had been driving previous when he noticed a small crowd outdoors. “I used to be caught in site visitors however as I acquired nearer I noticed the fire,” he stated.
“I did debate with myself – however then I acquired out and reached the door and just began kicking it.
“A minute later, a lady appeared coated in black smoke – she stated ‘Help! Help! Call the fire brigade! My husband is caught upstairs!’
“I knew they had been referred to as so I just went within the fire exit she got here out of. I couldn’t see how to get upstairs so shouted to her. She stated behind the bar, so I jumped over it – after which I might see the door. I opened it and smoke got here billowing into the bar. I couldn’t see upstairs for the smoke – other than the yellow of the flames within the fumes.
“I heard a voice and ran up and located him on the ground, not shifting. There have been flames within the passageway.
“I picked him up by the shoulders and dragged him downstairs.
“I don’t know if he had just woken up or was about to move out.
“I feel if I had not acquired him out he wouldn’t have made it out.
“This different man had run into the bar and he helped me carrying the opposite shoulder.
“As we got here out, the home windows blew in – that’s how scorching it had acquired. There was smoke popping out of each window on the bottom ground. We couldn’t have gotten anybody else out in the event that they had been left there.
“I’m fantastic right now – I just have a little bit of a sore throat right now – that’s all.
“I’m in all probability going to get one other ticket for parking outdoors the publish workplace whereas all this was occurring.”
Friend Sara, who instructed the South London Press the identification of the life-saver, stated to him: “The proven fact that he didn’t even assume and risked his personal life – he actually is an absolute legend and hero.
“But he just stated to me ‘I didn’t give it some thought. It had to be accomplished.’
“I do know he’ll say anybody might have accomplished it however he ought to be recognised for what he did.
“He is such a humble man and devoted to his household and his work.”
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