HEROIC Hampshire firefighters today plucked a miracle survivor from the ruins of the Turkish earthquake disaster.

The victim had spent four days trapped in the rubble of a collapsed building in searing temperatures before the expert team from Hampshire came to her aid this morning.

The firefighters are battling through heat and fatigue to save further victims from the catastrophe which has already killed more than 7,000, injured 34,000 and left 13,000 still missing.

There were fears today that the death toll could rise to 20,000 as trapped victims die of thirst and exposure.

The seven men from across Hampshire flew out on Wednesday as part of the international mercy mission to bring disaster expertise to the stricken country. The leader of the Hampshire team, Senior Divisional Officer Phil Webb, from Chandler's Ford, told colleagues based at Eastleigh of the rescue this morning.

He said: "The situation is chaotic. The scene is just devastating - it's on a scale that's hard to comprehend."

Fire spokesman David Askew said: "The Hampshire team has already recovered one lady. She was buried under the rubble, but she was alive. "They're working in the suburbs of Yalova which is just across the Sea of Marmara from Istanbul.

"The team are tired and hot but their spirits are high and they're in good health."

The seven men are due to be sent to a military town later today to search through the rubble of a barracks. More than 250 soldiers are thought to be missing.

The team includes Phil Webb from Redbridge station, Ray Cousins from Winchester, Pete Crook from St Mary's, Phil Crook from Eastleigh, Jim Stone from Fareham, Nigel Cooper from St Mary's and Jerry Leonard from Basingstoke.

They are equipped with thermal imaging equipment to locate body heat and hydraulic lifting gear to shift the rubble.

UK teams have pulled out 72 casualties since they arrived. Experts say earthquake victims can survive for up to ten days if their bodies are in voids deep inside collapsed buildings. The cover can prevent tham dying from over-exposure to the elements.

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