Dad of two speaks of dramatic moment he rescued a woman from Burnley pub the Turf after it set on fire yesterday

Damion Whitton dashed to help when he saw flames shooting from an extractor fan at the side of the Turf pub in Yorkshire Street at around 2-15pm.

“I live just across the road and I could see the flames from my house,” said Damion. “I ran out and it was a bit chaotic as all the road workers there who are working on the Town to Turf scheme were running round trying to see what they could do to help.”

When they realised someone was on the first floor, at the rear of the building, Damion and a couple of roadworkers used garden furniture and items from a nearby wheelie bin to build a makeshift ‘tower’ so that one of them could reach the window.

Damion said: “I climbed up the tower and one of the lads stood on a table to keep it steady so I could lift her out and support her.

“By the time we got her out the fire brigade had arrived and, although I don’t think she was injured, she was taken to hospital for a check up.”

Damion praised the workers from Lancashire County Council for their quick thinking in the rescue, adding: “Those lads were amazing, I certainly can’t take all the credit for this, I am no hero, it was real teamwork.”

Four fire engines from Burnley, Nelson and Bacup attended the scene of the blaze and firefighters used six breathing apparatus, two hose reels, a thermal imaging camera and a positive pressure ventilation fan to extinguish the fire. They remained at the scene for six hours.

In a statement on social media this morning pub owners AJP Pub Group said: “At the moment I don’t know how to put into words the devastating news we have had today, we have had a fire that has destroyed the pub. An extraction fan caught fire in the premises that caused catastrophic damage to the venue. Thankfully everybody got out of the venue safely and arrangements are already in place to move forwards. We will be back… don’t you worry about that.”

The AJP Pub Group is Phil James and John Astley who bought the Turf in 2021. Both Clarets fans, they commissioned a mural depicting Turf Moor on the side of the building and the interior underwent a £100,000 renovation,complete with the creation of Harry Potts Way on the wall next to the mural.