A PAIR of plasterers from Wrexham heroically entered a house engulfed in flames to rescue an elderly occupant.

A huge blaze engulfed a home in Pandy, in the Ceiriog Valley, on Sunday afternoon.

About 20 firefighters worked throughout the night to battle blaze - which was started by cooking appliance, believed to be a chip pan.

But prior to their arrival, plasterers James Abbott and Matthew Simmonds made a life-saving intervention.

"We were driving back from a job in the area when we saw loads of commotion, and shouting," James said.

"We stopped outside the house and straight away you could see how bad the fire was.

"Straight away we both rushed into the building, and I've never seen anything like it. It was black with smoke, you couldn't see anything accept the red glow from the fire and we could hear someone talking in the living room area."

In there, James, 30, and Matthew, 29, found an elderly lady.

"She was clearly confused and wasn't aware to the severity of the fire," James said.

"We managed to get her out just in time, as we'd only been in there a matter of a minute or two and we could barely breathe because of the level of smoke in there."

James added: "Her hair was singed, and her hands all burnt - and she was bleeding.

"It was absolutely horrible to see, and I just hope she's ok."

All three occupants of the house were subsequently taken to Wrexham Maelor Hospital - where two remain as a precautionary measure.

James said that one of the three occupants was rescued by another member of the public - who hasn't been identified.

"I hope he gets the recognition he deserves as well," James said.

A collection of clothes and other essentials has started for the three residents - with the house and everything in it lost to the fire.

Glyn Ceiriog Post Office is accepting donations - and is looking for female clothing at size 12-14, and size 18/20 and male clothes of small-medium size.

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