A Garston resident has been heralded a hero after alerting residents to a fire at a tower block this morning (July 12).
Andrew Carberry, who had been awake due to suffering from long COVID insomnia rose to action after a fire at the Abbey View tower block this morning to stop a “Grenfell in Watford.”
The Harvest End resident heard a loud explosion at around 5am before noticing the fire and shouting ‘fire’ at the top of his lungs to make residents aware.
Speaking to GarstonNews, Andrew said several residents had heard his shouting and ran out the block.
He said: “I heard an explosion and ran to my patio door, as soon as I got outside, I could see the block at the end of the road on fire and I just started shouting fire.
“A lady from the block said she heard my shouting and said I saved her life.
“I was taken aback by it. I woke all my neighbours up, but I didn’t care, I just thought people could die and I need to help.”
Andrew, who used to work as a fire marshal, added that he had Grenfell Tower at the back of his mind and wanted to ensure that a similar tragedy didn’t happen here.
He said: “I saw what happened with Grenfell and it’s important to get people out as quick as possible. We can’t have another Grenfell in Watford, I didn’t want people to die.
“I just thought I can’t help but what I can do is shout. I must have shouted about 20 times.”
The fire is believed to have started in a bin store and spread to the 16-storey building.
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