Trapped on the second floor of a burning home, a 16-year-old is saved after neighbors rush to her rescue.
In the skies over the Boone County town of Luther, an Iowa National Guard helicopter pilot witnessed an explosion last night. On the ground, witnesses watched a house go up in flames, and saw a girl trapped inside. Tonight the Boone County Sheriff's Department is crediting the two people involved for saving her life. But they say they were just doing what any person should have done.
"I helped her get down the ladder. She was so frantic she couldn't even walk. She got a lot of smoke in her, of course her lungs," says neighbor Dathan Purdy.
Dathan and Sabrina Purdy arrived at the fire after they say they smelled something foul in the air. They say there was thick black smoke pouring from the roof, and the whole house was engulfed in flamed. When they got to the house they saw a girl pounding on this upstairs window screaming for help. With no rescue crews in sight, the two quickly grabbed a ladder, and with the help of two other men climbed onto the roof and pulled her from the flames. The girl is ok tonight, but the house is a total loss. Investigators say it could be arson. The Boone County Sheriff's Department interviewed two people today they say fled the scene after the fire started, leaving the girl alone in the house, trapped and calling for help
"All the sudden there was a girl screaming at the top window. We did what we had to do to save a life," says Sabrina Purdy.
The teenager was treated for smoke inhalation and released from the hospital this morning. Right now the case is in the hands of the Fire Marshall. The Boone County Sheriff's Department finished questioning the two people they say fled the scene, but are waiting to decide whether to file charges until they get the Marshall's report back.
In the skies over the Boone County town of Luther, an Iowa National Guard helicopter pilot witnessed an explosion last night. On the ground, witnesses watched a house go up in flames, and saw a girl trapped inside. Tonight the Boone County Sheriff's Department is crediting the two people involved for saving her life. But they say they were just doing what any person should have done.
"I helped her get down the ladder. She was so frantic she couldn't even walk. She got a lot of smoke in her, of course her lungs," says neighbor Dathan Purdy.
Dathan and Sabrina Purdy arrived at the fire after they say they smelled something foul in the air. They say there was thick black smoke pouring from the roof, and the whole house was engulfed in flamed. When they got to the house they saw a girl pounding on this upstairs window screaming for help. With no rescue crews in sight, the two quickly grabbed a ladder, and with the help of two other men climbed onto the roof and pulled her from the flames. The girl is ok tonight, but the house is a total loss. Investigators say it could be arson. The Boone County Sheriff's Department interviewed two people today they say fled the scene after the fire started, leaving the girl alone in the house, trapped and calling for help
"All the sudden there was a girl screaming at the top window. We did what we had to do to save a life," says Sabrina Purdy.
The teenager was treated for smoke inhalation and released from the hospital this morning. Right now the case is in the hands of the Fire Marshall. The Boone County Sheriff's Department finished questioning the two people they say fled the scene, but are waiting to decide whether to file charges until they get the Marshall's report back.
