A man with a disability has survived a terrifying ordeal after he was trapped in his bed when his Adelaide home went up in flames.
His ex-wife and carer, Ros Walsh, jumped to his rescue and dragged the 70-year-old through the flames and out of the Prospect house to safety at about 1am.
“I heard him yelling out ‘help, help’ and so I came out of my bedroom and then opened his bedroom door and his bed’s on fire with him in it,” Walsh told 9News.
Walsh tried to put out the fire but the smoke and explosions were too much for her.
“I grabbed him, threw him on the floor and dragged him out and then called Triple Zero,” she said.
“I tried to get the garden hose to see if I could try and fight it but I couldn’t breathe.”
Twenty firefighters moved into Olive Street and it took several of them to move the 70-year-old off the verandah.
“He would not be with us anymore, 100 per cent, 100 per cent,” neighbour Dave Nottage said.
Gerard requires palliative care, he is bed bound and unable to move most of his body.
He is expected to stay in hospital for a number of days.
Walsh said she’s looking into permanent care for him or at least respite until his bedroom is fixed.
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All of Gerard’s medical equipment was destroyed, including oxygen tanks, which exploded in the fire.
Their dog Kyah was also lost along with four pet birds.
“My home is my home, I’ve been here since ’87. It’s my pride and joy,” Walsh said.
“My animals are really important to me.
What caused the fire is still unclear but the damage is estimated at $150,000.
