At 8:20 p.m. Monday May 30, the Pinal County 911 Emergency Call Center began receiving calls of a residential fire and explosions at a home on the northwest corner of N. Saguaro Road and W. Frontier Road, in unincorporated Apache Junction. Reports were that there was one occupant, a physically handicapped 59-year-old male, was rescued by two of his neighbors just before the house was totally engulfed by flames.
The resident, who is a paraplegic, told rescuers that there was a propane tank in the house that exploded. The 59-year-old victim was transported to the Maricopa Medical Center Burn Center with serious burn and smoke injuries. He is expected to survive. The circumstances of the fire have lead investigators to believe that it was accidental; however, the cause is not yet determined.
One of the rescuers, who lives across the street from the fire, said that he heard the fire and explosions and ran across the street to see if he could help. The 69-year-old Vietnam War Veteran said, “I ran over to see if I could help and heard my neighbor inside calling for help. About half the house was burning when I pulled the front door open and the heat hit me. My other neighbor ran in and pulled him out of the house.” He went on to say, “This is what neighbors are supposed to do for each other.”
The second rescuer, a 39-year-old male, approached the house with his neighbor and saw the house in flames. He said, “When Jim pulled the door open, I just ran inside and pulled my neighbor out of the house.” He went on to say, “It wasn’t but a minute later that the house was completely on fire.”
Pinal County Sheriff spoke of the lifesaving efforts of the man’s neighbors. “Without the quick action of these men, the outcome of this would have been quite tragic. It is a selfless act of bravery for these two men put themselves in harm’s way to save their neighbor from his burning house and I personally commend each of them for their lifesaving actions.”