CHARLOTTE, N.C. --
Two Charlotte firefighters were seconds away from jumping out of a second-story window during a raging house fire early Monday morning.
The fire engulfed a home on Deerberry Court in South Charlotte after that house was struck by lighting.
Richard Blum, who was the only person home at the time, made it out unharmed. He even ran back inside to grab his dogs.
"One neighbor said it was like a scene from "Gone with the Wind," the fire was all over the top of the house," said Blum.
Firefighters quickly went inside the home to contain the fire, but some got caught right in the middle of it.
Two of the firefighters were in a second-story room when the burning roof collapsed, cutting off their water supply, and their only way out.
"Things went bad. He had a dire need in his voice, we knew they were in trouble," said Capt. Jimmie Rushing, who also responded to the fire.
Those men radioed mayday and threw a cabinet out of a window to alert other rescue crews where they were.
This fire comes a week to the day since a Charleston fire that claimed the lives of nine firefighters. Rushing traveled to Charleston for the memorial late last week.
"Going through my mind is that memorial service in Charleston after the nine brothers who lost their lives. I was praying, please don't let that happen here, let's them get out, let's find them," said Rushing.
Crews were able to get a ladder up to that window and get the two men out safely. The home is a total loss.
Blum said his wife and children were out of town, and he's glad they didn't have to witness the destruction.
After the fire was contained, rescue crews went back inside the home to salvage some family photo albums.
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