CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Charlotte firefighters made a daring rescue last week by running into a burning building to get a man who was trapped inside.
Do not call them heroes. It's not what they want to be called. But it's hard not to use the word heroes, when you hear what they did.
It's why you become a firefighter.
Last Friday the guys at Station 15 off Shamrock Road got the call. There was smoke coming from a house. But they didn’t know how bad it was. When they got there, it didn’t look like much.
But Captain Greg Hildreth says he knew better as soon as he kicked in the door.
“Once I forced the door open, dark heavy smoke was all the way down to the door…just flames everywhere,” Hildreth said.
Even worse, there was a man trapped inside. Another firefighter could see something in the window moving, someone trying to get their attention.
“He started yelling at me to get my attention. Somebody was inside banging on the window. He was trapped and he couldn’t get out.”
It was a man who can’t walk.
Josh Johnston didn’t hesitate.
“I masked up, went in and from seeing the outside--knew how many windows down his room was. I counted doors,” Johnston said.
“Josh ran inside. He crawled through the living room, under the fire--made his way back to the man’s bedroom,” said Hildreth.
“It was burning pretty good. I stayed low, found his door,” Johnston added. “I grabbed him up, told him to take a breath and hold on.”
Together, they crawled out.
“Josh put himself in peril crawling under the fire to get to the man. It was amazing,” said Captain Hildreth.
And just in time.
Hildreth says it was likely a matter of seconds before the smoke would probably have been too much for the homeowner. The family was quick to thank Johnston.
“His wife, she gave me a hug. It was rewarding. That’s why you get into this business, to make a difference,” Johnston added.
The man they saved suffered from smoke inhalation but is doing well.
“That’s part of the calling--that one day you’ll be able to rescue somebody that’s trapped in a burning house,” Hildreth said.
