Man Rescues Elderly Woman From Carmichael Home
CARMICHAEL (CBS13) -- A house caught fire in Carmichael on Monday afternoon, but an elderly woman inside was saved after a man drove by, noticed the flames and helped get her out of the home.
Roger Wise, a former volunteer firefighter, was driving by and saw the flames. He entered the home, where he found homeowner Jean Spencer and led her to safety. She told firefighters she had been asleep and was disoriented in the heavy smoke before he came to her rescue.
"I yelled, 'you need to come with me,' she kept going, so at that time I went all the way in and I grabbed her and brought her out," Wise said.
Spencer started walking toward the flames before Wise intervened.
"This young man came through the door and said 'no, no, no, out, out, out, out,'" Spencer said. "Thank you so much. Neighbors helping neighbors, I'm just amazed. Such a good man."
The cause of the fire at 5800 Gibbons Drive is under investigation. It was a single-alarm fire with 24 firefighters responding, according to Sacramento Metro Fire, which responded at 4:30 p.m.
Fire crews arrived and found the home with extensive fire and smoke coming from the rear of the house. Firefighters also found the home's attic fully involved. Crews had containment 20 minutes after arrival, according to Assistant Chief Scott Cockrum.
The fire apparently started in a small apartment unit built off the rear of the home, then extended into the attic area of the primary residence, Cockrum said.
Spencer was evaluated and had no complaints of injury. Other residents also were not harmed. The extent of the damage was estimated at $60,000.
