Window Cleaner Honoured

Window cleaner Gareth Salmon survived explosions and smoke to save an elderly woman from her burning flat. David Domoney, from ITVs Love your Garden, Gareth Salmon and Chief Fire & Rescue Advisor CFO Peter Holland.

Ruislip father honoured for saving woman from flat fire: A Ruislip window cleaner has been honoured after saving an elderly woman's life rescuing her from a burning flat. Gareth Salmon, 39, of Marlborough Avenue, was cleaning a block of flats when he noticed smoke coming from one of the windows. He immediately stopped what he was doing and rang all the bells of the flats to find out if someone was in there, and a neighbour told him an elderly woman was stuck inside.

The father-of-two said, "I kicked the front door down and got through all the smoke. I had to crawl along the floor for so far, but I wasn’t able to breathe and I couldn’t reach her." Finally gaining access after flames forced him to retreat, an explosion blew him out of the door. Not giving up, he re-entered the property and saved the woman. “The gas had exploded, so that threw me back out the door," he said.

“I went back in but it was still full of smoke and luckily I stumbled over her as she was lying in the hallway, and I think because she was lying down she was still ok. “She was burnt but I managed to pick her up and get myself out through the kitchen and on to the balcony and get her out. About a minute after that it exploded so there was a big fireball out the window, and it just completely wiped out the flat - I was lucky really!”

Brave Mr Salmon didn't think twice about saving the woman and didn't have “time to take in what was happening”. He said: “I was just concentrating. Because I could hear her, I was just determined to get her out. “I was thinking: 'I’ve got to get her before the fire gets any worse.' There’s no way I couldn’t go in.”

The dramatic moments all happened on New Years Eve of 2013-2014, which ended with the woman being airlifted to hospital and London Fire Brigade tackling the blaze. Luckily Mr Salmon wasn't hurt at all, and said: “I was just lucky… when I went in, I just put a cloth around my mouth and I didn’t get any smoke inhalation.”

Spirit of Fire Awards: Mr Salmon was awarded with the title of Adult Hero at the star-studded Spirit of Fire Awards 2015, which took place at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel on October 2, hosted by The Fire Fighters Charity, and presented by BBC newsreader Nicholas Owen.

The Spirit of Fire Awards are supported by Infographics UK Ltd, the developer of FireWatch and FloSuite software for the Fire & Rescue Service, and honour members of the fire community and members of the public by recognising acts of astonishing courage and bravery, as well as dedication to The Fire Fighters Charity.

A stellar line-up of award presenters included comedian Russell Howard; actors Niamh McGrady, Bhasker Patel and John Partridge; sports presenter Diana Binks; TV gardener David Domoney; and Great British Bake Off contestant Mat Riley.

The awards were followed by a Downing Street reception for nominees, hosted by Greg Clark MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. He said: “I’ve been inspired by the accounts of self-sacrifice and dedication that the winners and nominees of this year’s Spirit of Fire awards have shown, both at individual incidents and in their support for the Fire Fighters Charity.

“This charity provides world-class support and treatment for serving and retired firefighters, as well as their families, and it is in recognition of this that we continue to support its work. I would like to congratulate all those involved in the awards, and to thank them for all their hard work and commitment.”

Receiving the accolade was “mixed emotions” for humble Mr Salmon. He said: “You go there and the room is full of firefighters who do it full-time for a living, and you think really, they should be getting all the honour. “But it’s still really nice to be recognised for what you’ve done.”

Fireball Window Cleaning Hero Takes Award

Gareth Salmon, who was hailed as an 'outstanding hero' at the Hounslow Community Safety Heroes Awards for rescuing a woman from a fire. He was joined on stage by Hounslow Council leader Jagdish Sharma and Hounslow borough fire commander Stuart Low.

Window cleaner who saved woman from Chiswick fireball is hailed a hero: Gareth Salmon pulled an elderly woman from a burning flat, moments before a huge explosion which would almost certainly have killed her ripped through the building. Gareth Salmon was working in Edensor Road, Chiswick, on New Year's Eve last year when he noticed smoke pouring from a neighbouring block. After alerting other residents the 37-year-old father-of-two made three attempts to rescue an elderly woman who was trapped in her flat. After the power of one explosion sent him flying out of the window he bravely went back in and carried her to safety moments before a huge blast, which would almost certainly have killed her, tore through the property.

Mr Salmon was one of three 'outstanding heroes' honoured at the annual Hounslow Community Safety Heroes awards ceremony, held at Hounslow Civic Centre, last night (Wednesday, February 12). "My initial thought was 'if I don't do anything I don't think I could live with myself'," he modestly said. "I was so caught up in the urgency of getting her out I didn't have time to be scared. It was only afterwards I realised I probably should have been." His proud wife Lois was more blunt. "I didn't know whether to hug him or strangle him for risking his life," she said. Luckily she chose the former, adding that their elder daughter Aimee is now convinced her dad's a superhero.

The aftermath of the fire in Edensor Road, Chiswick, from which hero window cleaner Gareth Salmon pulled an elderly woman to safety.

Mr Salmon, who lives in Ruislip, but works mostly in Chiswick and Ealing, had first kicked down the woman's door and crawled along the carpet under a choking blanket of smoke. He used a wet cloth, one of the tools of his trade, to stop him breathing in the thick fumes but couldn't find her. Eventually he was alerted by a faint cry from the kitchen and went round the back of the property, smashing in the back door and climbing in, only to be thrown back onto the balcony by the force of an explosion.

He thought she must be dead but fearlessly returned after hearing a noise from inside. The smoke was so thick he still couldn't see the woman, only finding her when he stumbled into her by chance. "I got my arms underneath her and dragged her to the back door where a couple of guys helped me get her over the balcony," he said. "Moments later, the second big explosion happened, sending a 20-foot fireball bursting out of the windows."

Presenting Mr Salmon with his award, Brendon Walsh, Hounslow Council's director of regeneration, said: "Our colleagues in the fire service have commented that it is without any doubt Gareth's actions had saved a life that day. He has rightly been recognised as a true hero by locals as well as by the emergency services as a result of his selfless actions."