Man rescued from burning tent by Swedish fire-eater

A fire-breathing Swede is receiving praise after saving a man from a burning tent at a Viking market in southern Sweden early on Sunday morning.

• House burns down after fire fighter exit (10 Mar 10)
• H&M Bangladesh deaths under scrutiny (28 Feb 10)
• Six injured in Stockholm fire (8 Feb 10)

Zack Segelström is a professional fire-eater who holds the Guinness world record for having spit flames to an astonishing height of three metres.

”I wouldn’t say that I play with fire, but I work with it. You shouldn’t take risks which are too big, as it’s a living substance. It’s a question of judgment,” Segelström told the Blekinge Läns Tidning (BLT) newspaper.

Segelström’s judgment came in handy in the wee hours of Sunday morning following a day performing at the Gudahagen Viking market in Näsum in southern Sweden

He awoke to a scream and peered out of his camper to see a nearby tent engulfed in flames.

The tent had caught fire after the person sleeping inside accidentally knocked over a kerosene lamp.

Segelström shot out of bed and rushed over to the tent, while at the same time calling the fire department.

He then scrambled through the flames and managed to drag out the tent’s occupant, who was suffering from burns and smoke inhalation.

“I felt like I didn’t have any choice,” Segelström told BLT.

The injured man was taken to hospital and was able to return home the following day.

As for Segelström, he was off to his next fire-breathing engagement and took the whole matter in stride.

“It was just an accident,” he said of the incident.

“The fire was a sad end to a really great day.”