A fire hero told yesterday how he was beaten back by flames as he tried to save his friends from a blazing house.

Two men were trapped and died but the fire brigade said the smoke detector in the house had no battery. Incredibly, the alarm was raised when a next-door neighbour's smoke detector went off under her pillow after smoke drifted into her home.

Mrs Ann McNamee alerted neighbour Mick Cameron, 47.

Mr Cameron, dressed only in his boxer shorts, dashed into the house next door at West End Drive, Bells-hill, and rescued his brother-in-law, Mr Patrick McSherry, 51.

However, he was beaten back by smoke and flames as he tried to reach Mr James Frazer, 34, and Mr James Murphy, 38, who died.

Mr Cameron, of South View, said: ''A neighbour came to the door shouting there was a fire. I looked out and saw flames shooting out of Pat's window. I knew there were people in the house because I was with them about 9pm last night.

''I wrapped a pillow round my head and ran in. Pat was sleepong in the bedroom nearest the door. I woke him up and pulled him out.

''But I couldn't get into the living room where the other two were. I tried about five times but the heat was tremendous. I kept shouting their names but there was no response.

''I don't know how I got in but I managed to drag them both out.

''The room was ablaze and there was smoke everywhere. The two of them were lying behind the door and I knew they were dead.

''Just as I pulled them out the fire brigade arrived.''

Neighbours praised Mr Cameron's bravery and his brother-in-law said he owed his life to his courage.

Mr McSherry said: ''I was in bed sleeping. We had been having a drink earlier and I left my two pals in the living room.

''There was no battery in my alarm when I moved in and I never got round to fitting one. I wish now that I had put one in and my pals might still be alive today.''

Mrs McNamee, 79, is partially deaf and has a specially adapted smoke alarm. She said: ''That man deserves a medal for what he did. He just ran straight in. He got Pat out and then he dragged out the other two. He really is very brave.''

The blaze at the house started shortly after 1am yesterday. Strathclyde Fire Brigade are continuing to investigate the cause.

Police said there were no suspicious circumstances. A full report will be sent to the procurator fiscal at Hamilton.

Mr Murphy was divorced but has a daughter. Mr Frazer, of Viewpark, Uddingston, is also divorced and has a son and a daughter.

q FIVE people were taken to hospital last night suffering from severe smoke inhalation after a fire in a three-storey tenement in Glasgow. It took firefighters two hours to bring the blaze under control in the ground-floor flat in Springside Place, Drumchapel, around 4pm. The five were rescued by the firefighters, four by ladder from the top floor flat, and taken to Western Infirmary and Yorkhill Hospital for treatment.