Neighbours save ' Old Leo’ from choking to death
“Old Leo” breathes again, thanks to the quick thinking of his neighbours in Oriana Crescent, Hornby. Mr Leo McDrury, an elderly man who “keeps to. himself and minds, his own business,” started to prepare a meal on Saturday evening, and then fell asleep in ! his favourite armchair beside the window in the'.lounge. As .he slept, .the, ; fat in the '■ pot on. the stove burned' unattended; ..and slowly filled, the house with thick, grey smoke. Mr McDrury usually left some of his, windows open
when' he was home, but this time they were all shut or neighbours would no doubt have noticed the smoke earlier. It was not until about 10 a.m. yesterday when a friend called for a quiet drink that Mr McDrury’s predicament was discovered. The friend, finding the house filled with smoke, rushed to a neighbour’s house to telephone the fire brigade and ambulance. Mr Leslie Gaskin, who lives over the road, was putting his mower away after mowing his lawns when he noticed people
running round shouting that “Old Leo” was still inside. After getting vague directions from Mr McDrury’s friend, Mr Gaskin, with a singlet over his mouth, crawled through the rear doorway. “The smoke was so thick I couldn’t see my hands in front of me, Mr Gaskin said. “It took three attempts to get into the lounge, and after bumping my head on some beer crates stacked in the room, I fumbled my way to where I could hear Leo breathing deeply in hrs armchair.”
He dragged Mr McDrury out through French doors at the front of the house. “Leo was conscious, but gasping for breath. He was dead lucky. I realise now that it was dangerous to go into the house, but you don’t think of that at the time,” said Mr Gaskin last evening. Two ambulances and two fire engines arrived soon after, and Mr McDrury was taken to Burwood Hospital. He was later transferred to Princess Margaret Hospital, where he was reported to be in a fairly comfortable condition last evening.
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Press, 12 January 1981, Page 1
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348Neighbours save 'Old Leo’ from choking to death Press, 12 January 1981, Page 1
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