Photo courtesy Peter Matthews
ST. PAUL, Minn. - A woman is alive and safe after being plucked from the top floor of a burning house in St. Paul late Wednesday.
St. Paul fire crews were called to the home at 829 Portland Avenue just before 11:30 p.m., and found flames leaping up the back of the structure.
Out front a woman was hanging out a third floor window of the three story, multi-family home. Firefighters immediately grabbed ladders, climbed up to the window and carried her down to safety. One firefighter handed her his oxegen mask so the victim would not be overcome by the smoke.
The woman was evaluated at the scene but declined to be taken to a hospital. She told investigators that she had been asleep at the time of the fire and was awakened by voices outside.
She was the only person in the home at the time.
One firefighter suffered some difficulty breathing and was taken to the hospital.
The third floor and attic suffered significant fire damage while the first and second floors were impacted by water and smoke.
No damage estimate has been released.
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