Taxi driver used minibus to save woman from burning house in Lancashire

Minibus used to rescue woman from burning building in Lancashire

A quick-thinking minibus taxi driver has been praised after using his minibus to rescue a woman from a house fire. 45-year-old Iqbal Hussain, who drives the minibus taxi for Metro Cars, happened to be driving by the house in Heaton, Lancashire when he saw the woman trapped in the burning house.

The woman rescued by Mr Hussain has been named locally as Julie Spencer. She was said to have been trapped in an upstairs bedroom after the downstairs area became consumed by the blaze. Neighbours were urging the woman to jump but she was unable to get the window more than a few inches open.

At this point Mr Hussian passed by in his minibus and stopped to help. He and a male neighbour had the idea of using the minibus to rescue the woman, as Mr Hussain explained: “I drove my minibus onto the pavement then a guy jumped straight up onto the roof — like a kangaroo.” Mr Hussain added, “As I got out of the minibus he was already trying to pull the window open.

The neighbour managed to tear the window open freeing the woman from the house. She was then taken to hospital but was released the next day having not sustained any serious injuries.

One of the members of the Fire Fighter’s team praised the minibus driver and the neighbour for their part in the rescue saying that without their help, the incident could have been fatal.