Disabled Man Rescued From Apartment Fire Started by Cigarettes

Shannon Weidemann

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Ralph Thomas, age 73, who is disabled and confined to a wheelchair was rescued from his burning apartment around 5:30 p.m. Monday.

His neighbor Squire Allen III heard screams and saw fire and smoke coming from the apartment and tried to get in through the front door. He was pushed back by flames and entered the apartment through the back door. He crawled through the smoke filled apartment till he found Thomas in the bedroom and pulled him by his legs out of the apartment.

"I've never seen so much fire," said Allen, 42. "There was fire from the bed all the way up to the ceiling. I had to drag him out by his ankles."

The fire department credits Allen with saving Thomas's life. Reckless cigarette smoking is believed to be the cause of the fire.