A brave young woman risked her own life when she ran inside a burning house to try to rescue a 51-year-old man.

Neil Duffy suffered 40% burns and is still in hospital after an inferno swept through his back-to-back house in Station Road, Holywell Green, Calderdale, with flames shooting out of the window by the time Rastrick firefighters arrived at 1am today (Mon). He has been renovating his home for years.

Emma Gee, 28, who lives a few doors away, said: “I started running into the house but the heat and the smoke was too much for me. I couldn’t stop coughing. I just didn’t want someone to die.” She was taken to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary suffering from smoke inhalation.

House fire, 70, Station Road, Hollywell Green.

Janet Airey, 59, who has lived on the street for 14 years, said: “I was downstairs with my dogs when it happened. I just heard a funny noise. At first I thought it was a mouse scampering about and then my dogs started going funny and I thought maybe it’s a flood.”

“Her son, Chris, 33, said: “She woke me up and I said: ‘It’s not a flood, it’s a fire!’ We ran downstairs, we thought the whole street was going to go up.” Mrs Airey added: “I’m still frightened now, I think it’s a dream. Emma was so brave trying to rescue him. Apparently it started from an electric heater.” Police have confirmed that the fire is non-suspicious.

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