POLICE have nominated two Horsham men for bravery awards after they saved their neighbour from his burning house on Sunday night.

Ian Antonoff and Bill Jorgensen crawled into the house in Mathoura Street, Horsham, and dragged their neighbour Steve Spillman, 46, from his house just minutes before its tiled roof fell in.

Mr Antonoff, 49, said he had no second thoughts about risking his life for his neighbour.

"I didn't give it a second thought. He is a nice guy who always says hello. Why wouldn't I go in?" Mr Antonoff said.

Acting Sergeant Matt Haughton from Horsham police praised the courage of the two men.

"The neighbours were brave to go in there and save their neighbour. They saved his life," he said.

Acting Sgt Haughton said the fire started when the man's unattended dinner caught fire on the stove.

He said the man had fallen asleep.

Mr Antonoff said he first noticed a bright light coming from the house as he prepared to go to bed.

"I was upstairs turning out the lights when I saw a bright light shining through the window," Mr Antonoff said. "I took a second look and said a few expletives."

Mr Antonoff, in his pyjamas, put on his workboots and ran out to see his neighbour's house on fire.

"My daughter Laura was still awake so I told her to call 000 and tell them there was a fire," Mr Antonoff said. "I then tried to get a few neighbours to help me."

Mr Jorgensen, 30, also ran out to help.

"Both of us were immediately scared there were kids in the house," Mr Jorgensen said. "But then we realised it was just one man because we saw his van."

Mr Antonoff then made his first attempt to go into the house.

"I crawled in, I had to get really low because the smoke was rising," Mr Antonoff said. "I was trying to call out to see if anyone was inside but it is hard to call out with so much smoke."

Mr Antonoff then went outside before entering again.

He made a second attempt with Mr Jorgensen and heard the man calling out but they could not see where the man was in the house.

"The calls came from either side of the kitchen and we couldn't see where he was," Mr Jorgensen said.

Mr Antonoff then ran back to his car to get a torch before re-entering the house with Mr Jorgensen.

"I wanted to have someone with me so if anything happened to me I had someone to get me out," Mr Antonoff said. "We could only see two feet in front of us because of the smoke."

Mr Antonoff then saw the torch light hit the man's belt buckle.

"He was disoriented and trapped in the corner of the lounge room. We both grabbed him and dragged him out through the front door," Mr Antonoff said.

Minutes after they dragged the man clear of the house the roof fell in.

Mr Antonoff's daughter Laura Antonoff said an explosion followed.

"There was a massive explosion. If anyone was still in the house they would have died," she said.

Miss Antonoff said her dad was calm during the fire.

"He was calm and going about things the right way," she said.

"We were lucky to get out but our neighbour was luckier," Mr Jorgensen said.

Mr Antonoff said his neighbour Mr Spillman was grateful for his intervention. "He has thanked me a couple of times and came to work to thank me. He is a nice bloke," Mr Antonoff said. "He might have lost everything he owns but at least he did not lose his life."

Mr Antonoff and Mr Spillman were both treated for minor smoke inhalation.

He said neighbours expected the house to be repaired.

Insurance representatives investigated the house on Monday.