A MAN suffered burns as he pulled his partner to safety and saved their home from burning to the ground after a fire started.

Michael Grimes, 58, leapt into action when he discovered the fire in the bedroom of his home in Chittock Close, Clacton.

He went to check on his partner and saw her in bed surrounded by flames.

Michael pulled his partner out of bed and took her outside, before rushing back into the house to stop the fire spreading.

He suffered burns to his hands and leg as he dragged the flaming bedding and mattress outside.

Michael said: “I walked into the bedroom and was just confronted with flames everywhere.

“The bedding, the pillows, the mattress, everything was starting to go up.

“I got my partner outside then went back in to try to save the house.

“I got another duvet and towels and tried to wrap the bits on fire up and get them outside.

“I just thought I’ve got to get it out. I think if it had been left for a few more minutes the whole place would have gone up.”

Michael is as a carer for his partner. It is believed she had taken her medication and lit a cigarette, before falling asleep.

Firefighters say it is likely the cigarette caused the bed to ignite.

Michael managed to drag the flaming bedding and mattress outside before fire crews arrived to extinguish it the smouldering remains.

It has left a patch of scorched black grass outside the front door and small burnt patches throughout the house, rented through Colne Housing.

Michael was taken to Colchester General Hospital, before being sent to the specialist burn unit at Broomfields Hospital in Chelmsford due to the severity of his injuries. He said: “I probably should have left it and just stayed safely outside but it just happened so quickly.

“When I got outside I looked down and my leg was on fire. I hadn’t even felt it, I guess the adrenaline had kicked in.

“It is lucky I was awake and went to check on her. It could have been so much worse. We might be talking about a fatality and nothing being left of the house.”

Michael’s partner, in her fifties, is staying in a nursing home until he recovers and can care for her again.

He said: “We are on benefits and we live hand to mouth.”

Leading firefighter Andrew Barber said: “His wife is lucky he was up and awake or this could have been much, much worse.

“It shows why you shouldn’t smoke under the influence of drugs and why you should never smoke in bed.”