Hero roofer runs into burning building to save man after Middlesbrough house explosion

A hero roofer ran into a burning building to save a man after an explosion ripped through a semi-detached home.

Kayfee Hameed, of Berwick Hills, was driving past Kirkland Walk, in Middlesbrough, when he saw a semi-detached home ablaze. An earlier explosion had destroyed the property leaving a man trapped under rubble.

Without thinking, the 45-year-old dad ran into the burning building putting the man on his back as the flames tore through the property. Despite bystanders telling him to not enter the building he was able to save the man placing him on the grass outside as 999 crews flooded the scene.

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The roofer told Teesside Live: "Everybody was on the grass over there watching. When I drove past I saw the fire at the house. I jumped out and everyone was shouting 'don't go, don't go'.

"I ran inside and I said 'is anybody there?' The man was laid down there were all rocks on his leg. He was just shocked. I told him to come closer because the fire was coming down. I put him on my back and got him out."

Mr Hameed said two properties were damaged in the explosion and he checked the adjoining home for causalities. Teesside Live previously reported the man was airlifted to hospital by air ambulance.

A GNAAS statement reads: "Our critical care team was activated at 12.46pm to an incident in Middlesbrough. We had two doctors and two paramedics respond to the scene and they worked alongside the North East Ambulance Service to assess and treat a patient.

"The patient was airlifted to hospital."

The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) has now confirmed the man suffered "severe burns" and is being treated at the RVI, a spokesperson said: "We received a call to 999 at 12.42 this afternoon to reports of a house explosion on Kirkland Walk, Middlesbrough.

"We sent a duty officer, a clinical team leader, two emergency ambulance crews, a rapid response paramedic, a doctor, four Hazardous Area Response Teams and the air ambulance.

"One patient has been transported to the RVI by air with severe burns."

Police and Cleveland Fire Brigade have urged residents to avoid the area and a large cordon is in place. The severity of the man's injuries are not yet known.

A Cleveland Police spokesperson said: "Cleveland Police are at the scene of an incident in Kirkland Walk, Middlesbrough.

"Officers responded to reports of a house explosion at around 12.40pm today.

"Members of the public are urged to avoid the area while Cleveland Police, Cleveland Fire Brigade and North East Ambulance Service work together at the scene. We thank local residents for their patience as we continue to deal with this incident."

It is not the first time Teesside Live has reported on Mr Hameed's heroic feats. In 2021 he stepped in to stop a knifeman after a fight broke out on Westerdale Road, close to Berwick Hills Primary School.

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