A PUBLIC-spirited Betws man has described how he braved fire and smoke after breaking into a blazing building to check if someone was inside.

Jonathan Haines climbed through a smashed window of the Gwalia offices, College Street, Ammanford, just after 9.15 on Wednesday night.

But the 24-year-old received a clip across his ear from his worried mother when he emerged from the building!

"The smoke was billowing out of the roof so I phoned the fire brigade and then attempted to break the door down," said Jonathan. "That was jammed but myself and another man found a broken window and climbed in.

"My main concern was to see if someone was inside."

Mr Haines, of Parcpenrhiw, Betws, said he ran upstairs to check if someone was living in the former bedsit, but luckily there was no-one inside.

"I kicked the door through and hid behind it just in case there was a back draft and then ran into one of the rooms," he said.

"The smoke was really thick and I couldn't see anything.

"I checked to see if there was anyone inside and then ran back out on to the street."

Jonathan's mum, Betty, 46, told the Guardian she was fraught with worry when she discovered her son had entered the building.

"I was shaking," she recalled. "Every scenario was running through my mind.

"When he came out he got a clip around the ear for being so stupid."

Jonathan's brother Phillip said fire officers were still tackling the blaze at 12.45am.

The 20-year-old said: "They had put the fire out upstairs and we could see the officers' torches when another fire sparked up in the office.

"The place had been gutted."

A Mid and West Wales Fire Brigade spokeswoman said a specialist turn table ladder was used to tackle the blaze in the roof.

"We received the call at 9.22," she said, "and the final tender returned to the station just before 1am.

"Three hose reel jets were used and one main jet.

"Four officers using breathing equipment entered the property to tackle the blaze inside."

PC Rob Chapman, Community Safety Officer at Ammanford, said: "A 17-year-old male has been arrested on suspicion of arson."

A Gwalia spokesman said that from Tuesday of this week the Ammanford staff are working from the Tai Cymdogaeth office at 136 Station Road, Llanelli.

Members of the public can either phone the Ammanford office staff on 01269 597762 or contact the Llanelli office directly on 01554 770332.