Dramatic video shows that San Bernardino firefighters save a woman from burning home – CBS News

A dramatic video shows the moments that a group of firefighters in San Bernardino are rushing to the aid of a young woman with cerebral palsy, which was trapped in a burning home on Monday morning.

The fire broke out at about 11:15 in the house in 1300 block in place of N. Valencia, according to members of the San Bernardino District. They arrived to find a single -storey home that was swallowed up by flames.

Shortly after they arrived at the scene, family members living in the home told them that their daughter with “access and functional needs” due to her cerebral palsy was trapped in the home, according to the department’s statement.

“The victim’s mother was screaming frantically that her daughter was still inside,” says SBCFD firefighter Jesse Kuyzen. “I have two of my children, so there was definitely a sense of urgency.”

He grabbed his captain Nick Turner and they rushed into the flames, knowing that they were not time to wait for a backup to arrive.

They found the woman in the back room of the home, still lying in her bed after crawling through the burning home from room to room.

“We crawl down the corridor with smoke to the floor. Zero visibility,” Turner recalled. “My hands clung to things because things were melting around me.”

They had problems finding the door, but luck took them through the door where they heard a muffled moan out of bed.

“I moved and found the victim to lie in bed. I caught her and told her,” I took you and I won’t let you go, “Turner said.

On the other side of the wall, the captain of the fire of San Bernardino County Greg Soria and his crew had just arrived.

“We know many times that someone is inside, but we will not know exactly where. In this case we knew,” Soria said.

Using guidelines from the mother of the woman who directed them to the window of her daughter’s room, they began to break the glass and provide an easy way to exit the two firefighters and the woman still in the increasing flame.

“After we started breaking the glass, we could hear it and that raised everything,” Soria said. “We know we have live rescue.”

Family members say the woman is 23 years old and in a bed of cerebral palsy. Although they know that they have lost their home, they are beyond grateful that everyone – including the family dog, which the firefighters also saved – have managed to come out alive. She remains hospitalized on Tuesday in a serious but steady condition, firefighters said.

“We often have bad results, but seeing such a great result makes the work useful when it is difficult,” Turner said. “That’s what we live for and I’m incredibly proud.”

The cause of the fire remains in the process of investigation.