Revealed: Identity of heroine who risked her own life to rescue stranger's baby from burning building

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

To the rescue: Mrs Melis is seen on the restaurant CCTV system rushing the youngster to safety


A woman who rescued a baby from a burning building after hearing his desperate mother's screams for help has spoken about her courageous act.

Yesterday MailOnline reported how Arafat Hassan, aged two, was pulled to safety by a mystery stranger during a blaze that consumed his parent's house in Tottenham, North London.

And last night Nazar Melis said she would do the same thing again if she had to - even if that meant putting her own life in danger.


She was helped by paramedics who administered first aid to the youngster


The 32-year-old radio presenter from Leyton said that she did not think twice about entering the inferno as soon as she realised that the infant was trapped inside.

Mrs Melis, who has two children of her own, was driving home from work when she heard the frantic cries for help.

'I just stopped the car, parked up, ran over and asked the woman if there was anyone in the house,' she said.

'She was panicking and just kept saying "My baby, my baby".'


The young boy suffered 80 per cent burns in the fire and is fighting for his life in hospital


Mrs Melis said she ran into the building and saw Arafat's father coming down the stairs.

Mr Hassan had tried his best to get to his son, but he had grown weary after saving other people in the house and was unable to get past the wall of fire.

'I asked him where the baby was and he just pointed upstairs,' Mrs Melis said.

Mrs Melis then battled through the heat and smoke to find the baby and rush him outside to safety.

'As soon as I got downstairs a gentleman told me to follow him and he took us to a cafe,' she said.


Gutted: A police officer stands guard outside the house following the blaze


By that time emergency service personnel had arrived at the scene and a paramedic was able to provide first aid to the injured child who was later airlifted to hospital suffering from burns and smokeinhalation.

A crew of 20 firefighters were called to the blaze, which destroyed the two-storey house.

Asked why she had put her own life at risk, Mrs Melis said: 'At the end of the day I'm a mother too - that could have been my child so really I didn't have to think twice about it.


The devastated Hassan family gathered outside the house where the fire took hold


'I didn't really think for a second - I just ran in there, got the baby and ran back out. Maybe I was scared for a second or two, but then I thought that God would help me.

'Afterwards, my own mother said I was stupid and that I should think about my own children first next time but to be honest, if you asked if I would do the same again then, yes, I would. Maybe someone will do the same for me one day.'

source :dailymail

Posted in: News Update