Police, Action News photographer rescues woman from fire

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- There were frightening moments at a mobile home park as rescuers rushed to save a screaming woman from flames.

A fire investigation is underway at the mobile home park where those flames broke out on Friday.

It's located on parkway drive near shields avenue in West Central Fresno.

Friday afternoon firefighters were still investigating and picking through the ashes and metal. The only woman who was home is in critical condition. She was burned and suffered smoke inhalation.

Flames swallowed this mobile home within minutes. What wasn't on fire was melting from radiant heat. Daring rescuers could barely get near the victim to pull her to safety.

"She was burned pretty bad. Don't know how she got out but she got out on her own and made it to there but even there, the heat was so intense we couldn't even hardly stand it. I had to hold up a piece of plywood to block the heat so we could get her outta there," neighbor Robert Emmons said.

Neighbors say just before 9 a.m. Friday morning, they heard loud booms and pops as things exploded in the home.

James Thomas lives in the home that caught on fire. He says the burn victim is his girlfriend.

"It happened so fast," he said.

Thomas says he left for work about 15 minutes before the fire broke out.

"I wanna know how bad she was burned. I don't know how the fire started, I have no idea, she doesn't smoke," Thomas said.

Firefighters investigating the cause of the fire focused on the mid section of the mobile home. The intense flames also burned the front of another mobile home and one man at that residence was treated for minor injuries.

A Fresno police officer and Action News photographer are being credited with getting the injured woman out. She already had second and third degree burns over much of her body.

"Without a doubt, the officer risked his life, and the civilian to rescue a citizen today and we should be very proud. This situation doesn't happen very often and its something they don't train you in the academy to be ready for," Tony Escobedo of the Fresno Fire Department said.

The Fresno police officer who rescued the victim was also treated for smoke inhalation.

A dog also died in the fire, and also possibly a cat.

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