A WOMAN overcome with smoke inhalation was dragged to safety from a blazing fire at her home by neighbours who have been hailed as heroes. Neighbours came to the rescue of Judy Worth as she tried to escape the thick black smoke and fire raging in the living room of her Meavy Way flat. Michael Merrett, 45, and his wife, Sandra, who live opposite the flat, rushed in after hearing a loud bang and seeing the windows explode. Bus driver Mr Merrett said: ?We thought the noise was a car crash at first. I ran outside and I saw flames coming out of the top floor window. ?I immediately went in and phoned the fire brigade and while I was on the phone, I heard someone say there was still someone in there. ?I ran across the road and up the stairs ? my wife was already in the house, trying to get the woman out. ?I went in as far as I could and managed to grab her arm and drag her out and another bloke came and carried her downstairs. ?She was very frightened ? she was black with soot from head to toe.? Sandra Merrett said she stayed at the top of the stairs as her husband lay on the floor and eased his way onto the landing. She said: ?It was thick with smoke ? you could not see into any of the rooms. ?She must have been scrummaging away to find a way out. Mike kept going further and further in and shouting her name. ?They got her out and brought her to our house ? she was very shaken and shocked. ?When you stop and think about it you realise how serious it was and she could have died in there. ?My husband was not thinking about his own safety. At the time everyone was focused on getting her out and you just get on with it.? Firefighters from Tavistock and Yelverton and paramedics arrived at the scene shortly after Mrs Worth was rescued and battled the fire for three hours as evacuated residents watched in horror from the street opposite. The cause of the blaze was not suspicious, police confirmed yesterday (Wednesday.) Resident of Meavy Way Annette Burch said the fire was unbelievable: ?It was a very angry fire and it just shot up in seconds. ?Thank God they got her out so quickly and the main thing was she did not suffer any burns.? Duty officer Paul Bray from Devon Fire and Rescue said the men acted very bravely. ?For somebody to put themselves and their own life at risk in a situation where there was a lot of hot smoke and flames, was very brave,? he said. ?They are lucky to be conscious and the woman?s life was most probably saved by the actions of her neighbours.? Mr Bray said firefighters were keen to contact the second man who helped save Mrs Worth?s life.