Guitarist Steve Ruane awarded for bravery in Camblesforth house fire

Early in the morning of Sunday, June 19, 2022, Steve Ruane was driving back from dropping off his partner, Sheryl Walker, at Doncaster Sheffield Airport when he saw smoke in the distance at Camblesforth near Selby.

The 54-year-old, who lives in Fulford and is the guitarist of mod cover band The 5:15s, told The Press how it was a clear day and the smoke looked out of place in the distance.

He pulled in for a closer look.

• How we reported it at the time

“I saw some smoke and then I saw it was a house fire,” said Steve. “I could see flames coming out the house.”

As he got closer to the house in Manor Close Steve said he could hear screams for help which he described as “timid”.

'I was on autopilot'

Steve works as an engineer at the University of York and said he has no firefighting experience.

But he is the father of a teenage girl and said he feared the screams were coming from a child.

Steve said it turned out to be that of an elderly woman who he could see in an upstairs window of the burning house.

He urged her to open the window and get out, but said she was unable to do so.

So, Steve acted quickly and kicked down the front door of the house.

“I think my brain shut down and my muscles took over,” he said.

“It was like I was on autopilot and I was going to save a life.”

Steve Ruane was awarded the ‘Society for the Protection of Life from Fire’ certificate from North Yorkshire Police for his actions (Image: Steve Ruane)

Inside he was confronted with a man who Steve described as being “frozen with fear”.

The man was able to get out of the house and North Yorkshire Police says that, thanks to Steve’s actions, he survived, suffering burns to his shoulders.

Steve tried to rush upstairs but said he was pushed back by the flames.

He got a ladder, set it up outside the house and climbed up to try and save the woman stuck upstairs.

The home in Manor Close, Camblesforth, after the blaze (Image: Sean Stewart)

Steve said he tried but was unable to pull her out.

"I had my arms inside the house to get her out - parts of her body were on fire," he said.

Tragically, despite Steve’s best efforts the woman lost her life in the blaze.

The fire also claimed the life of her son who was inside.

The home in Manor Close, Camblesforth, after the blaze (Image: Sean Stewart)

An inquest in August concluded that the deaths were an accident.

Steve suffered from post traumatic stress disorder after the incident and received counselling.

Earlier this year he was awarded the ‘Society for the Protection of Life from Fire’ certificate from North Yorkshire Police.

Steve is also to be recognised with another award at an upcoming ceremony in November.