'Hero' rescues girl from Vic house fire

A Victorian dad has been hailed a hero for rescuing his 12-year-old neighbour from her burning home.

A Victorian man has been hailed a hero for breaking into a neighbour's burning home and saving a 12-year-old girl.

Frankston South man Chris Raynor said adrenalin kicked in when he was woken by his daughter on Wednesday night to tell him she could hear screams.

When he discovered the house across the road was on fire, instinct took over.

"I didn't get to think too much about it," he told radio 3AW on Thursday. "I just ran in and luckily I found the girl in the house and brought her out."

Mr Raynor gained entry to the home by hip and shouldering the front door open, as flames burned in the lower part of the house and smoke filled the rooms.

The office worker bolted upstairs where he found a 12-year-old girl and her grandmother on a balcony.

"I made sure the lady on the balcony was alright, then I found the girl inside," he said.

"I picked her up and brought her out.

"She wasn't very responsive."

Luckily, fire crews arrived at the right time and took over.

"They swung into action and I just reassured (the lady) everything was alright," he said.

"I'm certainly glad everything turned out as it did."

Mr Raynor reluctantly accepted the "hero" tag, crediting his daughter with saving the day.

"I'm sure most of us would do it in the same situation," he said.

The CFA's Douglas Broom said Mr Raynor should be commended highly for his actions.

"He certainly contributed to saving the life of that young girl," he told the Nine Network on Thursday.

Paramedics treated the girl and woman for smoke inhalation, and both were taken to hospital.

Fire investigators are attending the scene on Thursday.


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Source: AAP


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