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British firefighter awarded 'Hero of the Year'

Two friends on holiday in Mallorca helped save residents from a burning building

featured in News & reviews Author Jane Leitch, Mallorca Reporter Updated

Two British men who saved residents from a burning building whilst on holiday in Majorca have been awarded 'Heroes of the Year' by the West Midlands Fire Service Aspire in their awards of 2012.

As fire broke out on the top floor of a residential (not holiday apartments) block in C'an Pastilla in August this year, British holidaymaker Paul McCarron who is part of the Sutton Coldfield fire station's Blue Watch burst into action to help save those left in the building.

Helped by friend Richard Ross, the pair rushed to the building and alerted many of the occupants who were still asleep and assisted them out the burning building. McCarron helped bring an elderly Belgian couple out of the building before going back to help others. Freeing one terrified woman from her flat and helping a further 18 people to safety, Paul McCarron and Richard Ross have been hailed Heroes of the Year.

Paul McCarron's firefighting instincts took hold but the fire that greated him was really quite dangerous for only one experienced firefighter and his friend to deal with. The building was not fitted with smoke detectors or fire extinguishers so without help from these brave holidaymakers the situation could have ended very differently.