ATLANTA --
Three Atlanta firefighters are being hailed as heroes after rescuing a 300-pound man from a burning home, firefighters said.
The fire happened on Jonesboro road in southeast Atlanta on Friday morning. Firefighters were at the scene shortly before 6:30 a.m.
"[It was] possibly was a cooking fire that got out of hand," Atlanta fire Battalion Chief Todd Edwards told Channel 2’s Amanda Cook.
When Atlanta fire crews reached the six-unit rooming house, flames were already shooting out the front door. Most of the residents made it out, including a woman with her 8-month-old baby, but firefighters said they could hear a man inside screaming for help.
"I heard the victim behind the window hollering he needed help," Atlanta fire Capt. James Dycus said.
He was trapped upstairs behind the flames.
"The fire started in the front room, and that blocked his exit from the front door," Edwards said.
Dycus called for backup, and firefighters brought a ladder to the window, broke the window and took out the air conditioning to make room. Sgt. Rusty Glenn climbed the ladder.
"Tommy was down there telling me, 'We’ve got to get him out, take your time man, slow down, I got your back," Glenn said.
He cradled what they estimated was a 300-pound man and carried him down the ladder. He was assisted by Atlanta police Sgt. Thomas Young.
All of the firefighters credit teamwork for the rescue.
“We saved his life,” Glenn said.
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