A man praised for rescuing children from a burning apartment in Abilene, Texas, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for starting the fire by tossing a lit marijuana joint into a nearby rubbish bin.

A MAN who rescued four children from a burning block of flats in Texas over the weekend has been jailed for violating probation after authorities saw his heroics on TV.

A man who rescued four children from a burning block of flats in Texas over the weekend has been jailed for violating probation after authorities saw his heroics on TV.