A COURAGEOUS security guard who battled a raging blaze alone has received an award for saving others from a fire.

James Balaam, who worked at teenage residential home The Foyer, in Old Town, managed to battle a blaze and evacuate the building alone.

Chief fire officer Andy Goves presented the award to James at the Drove Road fire station yesterday on behalf of the Royal Humane Society.

James, from Dorchester, was monitoring the CCTV cameras in the Foyer during a night shift on November 25 last year.

He noticed thick smoke billowing in one of the corridors at about 3am.

He ran down and discovered a fire in the kitchen, which he battled through toxic smoke to control.

James, who was born paralysed on his right side, said: "I didn't have time to think. I just fought it and got on with it.

"The fire extinguisher in the kitchen wasn't working so I grabbed another one in the hall and used it to put it out.

"I then ran up the five floors and knocked on everyone's door to get them all out," said the 45-year-old.

After controlling the blaze, which is thought to have been caused by an arsonist, he then phoned the fire service.

Fire Service watch manager Andy Cresswell, who saw James emerge from the building covered in black soot, said he had put his life in danger.

Mr Cresswell said it was rare for one person to put out a fire of that scale without the help of the emergency services.

"James came out of the building black with smoke," he said.

"He insisted on giving me the details before he got treatment for smoke inhalation.

"Afterwards I looked through the CCTV footage to see the cause of the fire and what James did was amazing.

"He picked up the extinguisher and fought through heavy smoke when visibility was completely lost.

"Nothing could have survived in that smoke," he said.

The Fire Service advises the public to leave firefighting to the professionals but James felt he had no choice, as he feared some of the residents would not hear the alarm after drinking.

James was modest about his bravery last November and paid tribute to firefighters.

"I'm very proud to receive the award," he said.

"But at the end of the day the fire service do this every day. I want to say thank you to them."

Mr Goves who presented the award applauded his quick thinking.

"James took prompt action at considerable risk to his own safety," he said.

"His brave and unselfish actions are very worthy of commendation."