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| Teen helps to save six from fire | Teen helps to save six from fire |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A boy has been hailed a hero after he helped to save six children aged from five to 15 from their burning house. | A boy has been hailed a hero after he helped to save six children aged from five to 15 from their burning house. |
| Leighton Griffiths, 15, from Cwmbran, heard the youngsters screaming for help after the fire broke out in the Greenmeadow area early on Saturday. | Leighton Griffiths, 15, from Cwmbran, heard the youngsters screaming for help after the fire broke out in the Greenmeadow area early on Saturday. |
| South Wales Fire Service praised the "swift actions of the public", firefighters and fire control staff. | South Wales Fire Service praised the "swift actions of the public", firefighters and fire control staff. |
| The mother of five of the children rescued from the fire said her young neighbour had saved their lives. | The mother of five of the children rescued from the fire said her young neighbour had saved their lives. |
| Fire crews were called to The Twinings at 0220 BST on Saturday, with the fire at an end-of-terrace house. | Fire crews were called to The Twinings at 0220 BST on Saturday, with the fire at an end-of-terrace house. |
| Leighton said he used a hose pipe to try and douse the flames while his stepfather Alan Probert and a neighbour put a ladder up to a window and got out three of the youngsters. | Leighton said he used a hose pipe to try and douse the flames while his stepfather Alan Probert and a neighbour put a ladder up to a window and got out three of the youngsters. |
| They could have died and I could not have lived my life knowing I could have done something Leighton Griffiths | They could have died and I could not have lived my life knowing I could have done something Leighton Griffiths |
| Meanwhile, unbeknown to Mr Probert, Leighton said he had gone into the property and rescued the three other children trapped in the burning house. | Meanwhile, unbeknown to Mr Probert, Leighton said he had gone into the property and rescued the three other children trapped in the burning house. |
| He collapsed and had to be taken to hospital afterwards with minor burns and a suspected broken rib. | He collapsed and had to be taken to hospital afterwards with minor burns and a suspected broken rib. |
| Interviewed on Monday by BBC Wales, Leighton admitted perhaps he should have waited for the fire service to arrive. | Interviewed on Monday by BBC Wales, Leighton admitted perhaps he should have waited for the fire service to arrive. |
| But he said: "You don't think of that when there's kids involved. No matter how scared you might be, you've got to be brave enough to go in and get them. | But he said: "You don't think of that when there's kids involved. No matter how scared you might be, you've got to be brave enough to go in and get them. |
| "They could have died and I could not have lived my life knowing I could have done something." | "They could have died and I could not have lived my life knowing I could have done something." |
| He's absolutely fantastic. He saved my children's lives Tracy Evans | He's absolutely fantastic. He saved my children's lives Tracy Evans |
| Leighton said he cannot remember much about the incident but said he was scared, but in a way he was not scared "knowing I was doing something right." | Leighton said he cannot remember much about the incident but said he was scared, but in a way he was not scared "knowing I was doing something right." |
| Leighton said the children were "petrified". | Leighton said the children were "petrified". |
| Asked about being hailed as a hero, Leighton said: "I class everyone who gave a hand at the time a hero because we all played a part in it." | Asked about being hailed as a hero, Leighton said: "I class everyone who gave a hand at the time a hero because we all played a part in it." |
| Mr Probert said his stepson was "very brave" and he was "very proud" of what he had done. | Mr Probert said his stepson was "very brave" and he was "very proud" of what he had done. |
| "Lots of blokes in their twenties and thirties would not have done what he done. I gave him a good hug at the end of it - something we don't do very often - but he deserved that one," he said. | "Lots of blokes in their twenties and thirties would not have done what he done. I gave him a good hug at the end of it - something we don't do very often - but he deserved that one," he said. |
| The fire is believed to have started in the electrical fuse box at the house. | The fire is believed to have started in the electrical fuse box at the house. |
| The blaze broke out in the early hours of Saturday | The blaze broke out in the early hours of Saturday |
| They are the third family to have survived a blaze in the property in recent years. | They are the third family to have survived a blaze in the property in recent years. |
| Tracy Evans said she could never thank Leighton enough for what he did in saving her children and her son's friend, who is nine. | |
| She and her husband had been on their first evening out in 18 months when the fire started, she said. | She and her husband had been on their first evening out in 18 months when the fire started, she said. |
| Mrs Evans said: "He's absolutely fantastic. He saved my children's lives. If it wasn't for him, my kids wouldn't be here now, and there's nothing I can ever do (for) that boy or repay him for what he's done." | Mrs Evans said: "He's absolutely fantastic. He saved my children's lives. If it wasn't for him, my kids wouldn't be here now, and there's nothing I can ever do (for) that boy or repay him for what he's done." |
| The children have also made a "thank you" card for Leighton who celebrates his 16th birthday on Tuesday. | The children have also made a "thank you" card for Leighton who celebrates his 16th birthday on Tuesday. |
| South Wales Fire Service said the blaze is being treated as accidental. Further investigations are being carried out with the police. | South Wales Fire Service said the blaze is being treated as accidental. Further investigations are being carried out with the police. |
| Richie Prendergast, the officer in charge of the incident, said due to the swift actions of the public, the fire crews at the scene and fire control staff, a great tragedy had been avoided. | Richie Prendergast, the officer in charge of the incident, said due to the swift actions of the public, the fire crews at the scene and fire control staff, a great tragedy had been avoided. |