AN HEROIC father forced his way into a burning building, fearing there might be people inside.

Ian Wallace, who lives in Chapel Street North, Colchester, looked out of his bedroom window at 4pm yesterday to see smoke coming from the windows and door of a ground floor flat.

The plume of smoke rose above the town centre, filling the air with the smell of burning rubber.

The 27-year-old yelled to a friend to dial 999 before dashing round the building.

“I saw smoke coming from the window,” he recalled.

“I didn’t want to just stand there if there was someone inside the place. I kicked the door in, pulled my T-shirt over my mouth and was about to run inside.

“As I stepped forward, there was big explosion. All I could see was a lot of flames and smoke filling the place.”

Overcome by the heat, Mr Wallace staggered outside. He was uninjured by the blast, but has been left with ringing in his ears.

Reflecting on his heroics, the father-of-one was quick to dismiss his actions as brave.

He said: “I just didn’t want to learn later on there had been someone in there while I had stood and watched the fire.”

Rebecca Wright, 24, his girlfriend and mother of their four-year-old daughter Leanne, added: “I was a bit worried, but I’m very proud of him.”

Three fire engines from Colchester fire station, including the aerial ladder platform, were sent to the blaze.

Crews were initially worried as the fire was near a multi-storey car park.

Crowds of shoppers stopped to stare at the activity as police and ambulance crews also arrived to ensure no one was in danger. The fire was out by 5pm.