A MAINTENANCE man turned fire-fighting hero when he put out a fierce fire at Bury indoor market.

Stewart Hartney, aged 41, spotted flames leaping from a storage area packed with clothes in the market basement at the weekend.

But the quick-thinking porter saved the day by putting out the blaze, which was ignited by a firebug, using an extinguisher.

Today firemen praised Mr Hartney's bravery and said his actions had prevented thousands of pounds worth of damage of traders' goods stored throughout the large basement.

Bury fire station officer Paul Myerscough said: "Mr Hartney did a excellent job because the fire had become pretty fierce. Had he not been so brave, the fire would have activated a sprinkler system flooding the basement and ruining lots of stock."

The blaze, started at noon on Saturday, destroyed hundreds of pounds worth of clothing belonging to stall holder Howard McLean.

Fire alarms sounded throughout the busy market building, but shoppers were not evacuated.

Modest Mr Hartney, of Prestwich, told the BEN: "I just did what anyone else would have done in my position. I'd just finished my lunch when I came out of the canteen to find flames shooting up from the clothes right to the top of the ceiling."

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