smashed open her front door.

The terrified mom-of-two was at the back of her home when she heard the bang.

But the intruder turned out to be a Good Samaritan who had broken in to fight a kitchen fire.

And yesterday Mrs. Tucker put a grateful arm on Mr. Christopher DeCosta's shoulder and exclaimed: "He is absolutely wonderful!'' She added: "I think he is great. If it wasn't for him the home could have been badly damaged.'' Quick-thinking builder Mr. DeCosta, of Warwick, was helping to renovate a house across the road when he saw the flames at about 4 p.m. on Monday.

His first fear was that children could be trapped inside the Verdmont Road property in Smith's.

"I saw flames shooting through the kitchen window. They must have been about eight or ten feet long,'' the 29-year-old said yesterday.

"I immediately ran across the road. I couldn't hear anybody inside, so I kicked the door open.

"It was incredible. I didn't know I had the strength to do it, but I was just acting on instinct.

"At the time I didn't think I was taking any risk. My thought was that children could be inside.'' He added: "The kitchen was full of smoke and flames were coming from the gas oven.

"A curtain had fallen on the oven and was on fire. I took a rag and started beating the flames.

"A mate of mine started using a hose to put out the fire.'' Mr. DeCosta pointed out Mrs. Tucker had not only himself to thank. She should be grateful for the rain.

He and his work mates only spotted the flames because they were sheltering in the front porch of the property across the road.

"It was really lucky it was raining,'' he said.

Mrs. Tucker told how she had dashed into the kitchen after being alerted by the commotion.

"I had heard a bang and thought `Oh no, a burglar is trying to break in','' she said.

"The kitchen was full of smoke. I had left a pot on the stove.'' She added: "Thanks to Mr. DeCosta there was only smoke damage to the kitchen.'' The blaze was out when firemen arrived.

SAINT CHRISTOPHER! -- A grateful Olive Tucker thanks fire hero Mr. Christopher DeCosta.