{"id":15083,"date":"2017-04-24T19:06:25","date_gmt":"2017-04-24T19:06:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/georgiaarsoncontrol.org\/?p=15083"},"modified":"2017-04-24T19:07:04","modified_gmt":"2017-04-24T19:07:04","slug":"off-duty-firefighter-man-save-woman-from-burning-home-0004-0210-now-watchingheroic-actions-by-two-strangersresume-up-next-0527-btn11-13-reasons-why-concerns-kare-watched-by-of-viewers-lik","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/georgiaarsoncontrol.org\/?p=15083","title":{"rendered":"Off-duty firefighter, man save woman from burning home"},"content":{"rendered":"

(KSDK<\/a>) \u2013 Two strangers teamed up to save an elderly woman in a wheelchair from her burning home.<\/p>\n

It all happened around 4:30 p.m. in the 4100 block of McRee Avenue in the Botanical Heights neighborhood.<\/p>\n

Capt. Leon Whitener of the St. Louis Fire Department had just gotten off work. He said he was in his work car when he heard an alarming scanner call.<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard the radio transmission for a fire in a house with a person trapped,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

Realizing he was in the area, Whitener said he knew he had to help.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I got there, there were people outside. I asked them if someone was still inside and they said yes,\u201d he recalled.<\/p>\n

Without hesitation and being the only person on scene so far, Whitener ran into the burning building. But he wasn\u2019t alone.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was asleep. I just got done working a 12-hour shift. I woke up. I heard hysterical screaming. A woman was yelling fire!\u201d explained nearby resident Raymond Rayford.<\/p>\n

Rayford came outside and upon seeing the fire, quickly followed Whitener on a daring rescue attempt.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was the first guy I saw. The first one. He ran in there. I ran right behind him. It was just instinct. Just instinct,\u201d Rayford explained.<\/p>\n

When the pair got inside, Rayford said it was extremely smoky. But eventually, they found the woman trapped and unable to escape.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a lot of furniture in the hallway. She could not get out of the apartment or out of the building,\u201d Whitener said.<\/p>\n

Rayford added, \u201cWe had to lift her up past the banister to get her to safety.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fortunately, she is going to be okay. But soon after she was rescued and fire crews arrived, things took a turn.<\/p>\n