Man dragged from smoke-filled home

May 6 2008 by Laura Sharpe, Liverpool Daily Post

THE brother of Kirkby’s amateur boxing coach was last night fighting for his life after a fire in the family home.

Richie Lloyd, 59, brother of coach John Lloyd, 58, was rescued from his Fazakerley home in the early hours of Sunday morning.

His neighbour, Brenda Garforth, raised the alarm while his brother-in-law, Joey, tried to rescue him.

Joey Wilson, 45, who only lives two doors down on Longmoor Lane, said his first instinct was to get Richie safely out the house.

He said: “It was unbelievable the smoke. I just instantly thought to get Richie out even though I didn’t know where he was in the house.

“I went round the back but as soon as I opened the conservatory door, the gust of air just made it worse and I was pushed back by the smoke.

“I work as an undertaker and all I could think was that I hoped he wouldn’t be brought out dead or burnt.

“Luckily the fire crews said the fact he was sleeping downstairs on the coach had probably saved his life because upstairs the smoke was worse.”

Fire engines from Aintree, Croxteth and Kirkby and two ambulances were called to the semi-detached house at around 4am.

Firefighters with breathing apparatus pulled Richie unconscious from the living room and tried to resuscitate him on the front garden.

They think the fire started in the cooker and had been burning for at least 30 minutes before they arrived.

Mrs Garforth said: “I heard what must have been the pan exploding, I thought it was a burglar but when I looked out of the window, all I could see was thick black smoke billowing from the house.

“I was scared because it was so bad I was worried it might spread through the rafters into my house.

“Joey did a great job trying to help, I only hope Richie’s OK.”

The kitchen was destroyed in the blaze which damaged the first-floor ceiling with 80% smoke damage to the house.

Richie’s brother, John Lloyd, 58, had just returned from holiday hours before he was called to the scene. He said: “Luckily they got Richie out, but it’s not good news from the hospital.

“He had a fire alarm which was going off but he had been drinking so didn’t hear it.

“We’re hoping he will be OK but the house is a mess with glass on the floor and black soot everywhere.

“I was concerned for Brenda and her mother, they’re shaken by the whole thing but luckily they’re OK because the fire could easily have spread into their house while they were asleep.”

A Mersey fire service spokesman said: “We forced entry at the side of his house and he was lying on the couch. He wasn’t in a good way.

“We carried him on to the patio and administered oxygen until the ambulance arrived.

“He wasn’t burned but he had severe smoke inhalation and didn’t regain consciousness while we were treating him.”

He was taken to Aintree where his condition was last night described as stable in the intensive care unit.

laurasharpe