Good Samaritan alerts neighbors to house fire, helps pull woman to safety

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU/Gray News) - A woman in Alaska is credited with saving another woman’s life in a house fire.

Katie Hickman told KTUU that she was driving in an East Anchorage neighborhood on Tuesday to pick up a donated item when she spotted a home on fire.

Hickman said, once she saw the flames, she rushed over.

“I just went straight to the house. I opened the door and tried to go in, but the smoke was already waist-high,” Hickman said.

According to Hickman, she stayed at the house to check if there was anyone inside.

“I just start banging on the floor saying, ‘Is anybody here? Call out,’” Hickman said. “And after about 10 or 20 seconds I heard a voice.”

Hickman said she told the person to follow her commands and was able to grab their feet once she saw them.

With help from a couple of neighbors, Hickman said they dragged the woman out of the home.

Firefighters then arrived at the scene and paramedics reportedly took over.

Hickman said the fire victim had hair that was burnt and a darkened face from the smoke.

“She definitely had some trouble breathing. She had to have been in there for quite a bit. Maybe I even woke her up? I don’t know,” Hickman said.

Authorities said the woman from the house was taken to a hospital. Hickman said she initially refused medical treatment, even though she did inhale some smoke and has asthma.

Along with the woman who was inside, a dog was rescued too.

“I knew she had a pet, and her dog was saved,” Hickman said.

The good Samaritan said she was happy to be able to help and just happened to be in the area searching for a person who was giving away a free cat tunnel.

“So, a cat tunnel saved a person’s life is my way of seeing it,” she said.

Hickman thanked the neighbors who helped her rescue the woman as well as the responding firefighters and emergency personnel.

The Anchorage Fire Department did not immediately identify the woman rescued but said she was the only person who suffered injuries in the blaze.

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