AN OFF-DUTY firefighter and his brother risked their lives to rescue an elderly woman from a burning building.

Leading firefighter Steve Quincy, 32, and his brother, Mark, 26, crawled through blinding and choking smoke at the height of the blaze at Athelstan Road, Cliftonville, near Margate, to drag the 74-year-old woman to safety.

She was on fire as she was pulled free and suffered 40 per cent burns.

An investigation is under way into the fire that broke out in the ground floor rear bedroom of the end terrace building shortly before 5pm on Monday night.

Leading firefighter Mark Fishlock, from Margate, who was in charge of the incident, said: "Steve and Mark were driving past at the time and saw the fire. Without thinking of their own safety they plunged into the flat. The building was well alight and the fire temperature was ‘superheated’. They took an incredible risk.

“As a fireman Steve clearly knows the dangers of going into a situation like this without protection. Neither he nor Mark thought of themselves.

“Without their bravery and presence of mind I am certain that the victim would have died.

The first crews on the scene acted with remarkable speed and had a dangerous situation under control in under four minutes. The fire was visible from half a mile away.”

Leading firefighter Quincy helped ambulance crews tend first aid at the scene.

Leading firefighter Fishlock said a 65-year-old man, who is the victim’s carer, smelt smoke coming from the bedroom. He made a desperate attempt to go to her aid but was beaten back by the fire. He left the smoking building and helped the rescuers pinpoint her whereabouts.

The woman, whose name has not been released, was taken to the Queen Mother Hospital at Margate. Her condition is not thought to be life-threatening.

The cause of the fire is thought to be accidental and involved smoking materials.