KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Three nearby neighbors rescued a woman in a wheelchair from a house fire in Blue Springs Tuesday morning.
Fire crews arrived around 11:30 a.m. at 5204 NW Downing St.
Upon arrival, smoke and fire was showing through the roof and three sides of the house.
Fire crews went into defensive mode and fought the fire from the outside shortly after arrival.
Before fire crews arrived, neighbors James Hensley, Eric Roddy and Eric Wheeler noticed the house was on fire.
Hensley notified the owner, who told him that she couldn't get to her paralyzed daughter in the house's basement.
The three men searched for a way to get the woman out after finding out that she was stuck in the basement.
Wheeler kicked in the window of house's basement and both he and Hensley climbed into the basement as Roddy waited halfway in the window.
Hensley then picked the woman up and handed her to Wheeler, who then handed her out the window to Roddy. Everyone managed to get out safely.
Chief of the Central Jackson County Fire Department Chip Portz says damage to the house was significant.
One firefighter was transported with a non-heat-related minor injury.
There is no indication of the fire's cause at this time and it is currently under investigation.
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