Boy pulled from blaze

John Duffy has played down his heroic role

A County Tyrone man has described how he rescued a seven-year-old boy who was trapped in a burning house.

Roofing contractor John Duffy pulled the boy through the upstairs window of the house at Churchview, Strabane.

Two police officers had been beaten back by flames and smoke during the blaze at about 1530 GMT on Tuesday.

Mr Duffy said it was a matter of luck that he was in the right place at the right time.

"Whenever I broke the window, the room was full of smoke. All I could see were the whites of his eyes, because his face was black," he said.

Police praise

Mr Duffy said the little child was begging him to take him out of the fire.

"I didn't want to pull him out through the window because there was very jagged glass," he said.

"I reached round and tried to open the other one, but there was a child lock on it.

"But I eventually got it open and pulled him out through it onto my shoulder.

"He said: 'Thank you mister, thank you mister'."

A police spokesman praised the actions of Mr Duffy and others who were involved in the rescue.

A 28-year-old Strabane woman is expected to appear in court on Thursday in connection with the fire.

She faces a charge of arson with intent to endanger life.