Paramedics hailed "heroes"
Two ambulance officers have been hailed heroes after they broke into an old lady's burning home and dragged her to safety.
The blaze started when she used an aerosol can too close to a heater and firefighters say it's a lesson to all.
Arriving back at her Coburg home this morning, 81-year-old Giovanna Vicari knows she's lucky to be alive.
Giovanna made a distressed phone call to her son Fernando after taking a fall, unaware fire had broken out behind her gas heater, caused by the aerosol spray she used to kill a cockroach.
When paramedics arrived at around 10.30pm, they were confronted by flames engulfing the rear of the house.
Paramedic Stephen Farrow told 7News: "When we arrived at the scene we found the house ablaze, realised it hadn't been called in so we called the fire brigade."
Paramedics could see Giovanna through the window, lying in the hallway. They smashed through the front door to gain entry, and dragged her out to the nature strip.
Four fire crews bought the flames under control while paramedics looked after Giovanna.
"Thankyou, for everyone helping me," Giovanna said. "I was very scared last night."
Her son, Fernando, said paramedics' efforts were "heroic", but they say they were just doing their jobs.
"I didn't think about it - it's just what we do," Stephen Farrow said.
The fire left extensive damage to the kitchen of Giovanna's home. She will be staying with friends and family while repairs are carried out.
Senior station officer Garry Cronin said: "People must be careful when using flammable pressure packs near open fires of gas fire, devices because it can cause a fire."
See the full report on 7News @ 6pm
