ANDERSON, S.C. --
A woman owes her life to a Good Samaritan who disappeared after rescuing her.
Firefighters said that the woman, who is in her 60s, pushed an air conditioning unit out of a window and was trying to get out when a stranger stopped and helped her get out of the house. No one knows who the man was. He was described as having a "husky build," but there was no other information about him.
Her husband was not at home at the time.
Fire started in the home at 2806 Middleton Road in Anderson County at about 8 a.m.
Firefighters rescued Helen Young from the home. Young was taken to a hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation, but was later transferred to the Augusta Burn Center. Her husband was going to Augusta to be with his wife.
A firefighter suffered injuries to his left arm when the fire caused a propane tank to explode. He was treated at a hospital and released.
Anderson County Fire Chief Billy Gibson said, "This is a total loss -- heavy fire damage to about 80 percent of the house, the rest -- a lot of water damage. So these folks lost pretty much everything."
Neighbor Tasha McGinnis said, "It broke my heart. I cried. It was a terrible fire."
The Red Cross is assisting the Youngs, who they say lost more than $600 worth of prescription medications in the fire.
The Red Cross said that the couple is on a fixed income, and both lost medication that they take daily.
Gibson said that the fire started in the chimney of the home. Gibson reminded residents who use fireplaces that it is important to get chimneys inspected and to keep them clean in order to avoid fires.
"Because fuel costs are going so high, people are going back to using wood. And the chimneys haven't been used in quite sometime. So we suggest before they light a fire in the fireplace or buck stove, they have the chimney checked," Gibson said.
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