Good Samaritan Saves Woman From Burning Home In Nowthen
NOWTHEN, Minn. (WCCO) – Authorities say two people were taken to a hospital after a house fire north of the Twin Cities metro Tuesday morning, and one of them was a Good Samaritan who helped pull the other victim from the fire.
Fire crews were called to the 19500 block of Nowthen Boulevard just after 6 a.m. Tuesday in the town of Nowthen, which is north and east of Elk River.
A passer-by saw the fire and kicked down the front door of the home. The passerby then found a 64-year-old woman lying face down on the floor and pulled her out of the home.
But Mike Coolidge told WCCO-TV Tuesday afternoon that he feels very uncomfortable being called a "hero." He said he was just helping out a neighbor. He was on his way to work when he saw smoke and fire coming from a neighbor's windows. He went up to the front door, saw that it was unlocked and found the house to be filled with smoke when he entered.
Authorities say the woman was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center with smoke inhalation and burns to her upper body, while the passerby was taken to Mercy Hospital by ambulance for smoke inhalation.
"I'm just glad she is alive," Coolidge said. "It was kind of going through my head and I was going to have dreams about this tonight if she didn't make it. But after they said she was alive and had her head up, I'm going to sleep pretty good tonight."
Crews said the woman lived alone in the house. Coolidge said he knows the woman, but they've never actually met. He said he plans to introduce himself soon. He has a few cuts and suffered from smoke inhalation, but will likely be released from the hospital on Tuesday.
