Man Saves Family from House Fire - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Man Saves Family from House Fire

A home in the small town of Martin, west of Harvey along highway 52, was destroyed late last week by a late night fire.

Fortunately, no one was injured - largely in part to the quick actions from a neighbor.

Shaun Sipma has the story from Martin.

A burned out shell of a home is all that remains here in Martin from the late Thursday night fire.

This scene though could have been much more catastrophic.

The two people living here were in bed asleep, unaware flames were flaring from the rooftop near the chimney.

Bob Martin, the neighbor across the street, had been working in his garage earlier in the evening and forgot a light on.

(Bob Martin, Martin Resident) Went into the house to call it a night, got a drink of water, looked out and seen the garage light was on. So then I come back out and I went back into the garage and shut the light off and then when I came back out I could see the smoke going over the evergreen trees over there."

Being a former volunteer firefighter Bob new there was too much smoke for a wood burning stove.

He ran down the street and that's when he saw the flames.

(Bob Martin, Martin Resident) I went back and woke the wife up to call 911 and ran back over there."

Bob said he pounded on the door until someone finally woke up and answered.

(Bob Martin, Martin Resident) "Took a while, I beat on the door, took a while before they answered the door."

Smoke was starting to fill the house, Bob he grabbed their car keys to move the vehicles away from the home and the man and woman went back in, what Bob figures, to find their three cats.

He shut off the propane from the outside and then he said the time was up for getting the people out.

(Bob Martin, Martin Resident) It was getting smokey then, it was really getting smokey then and we got them out.

The man and woman escaped with only smoke inhalation, one cat never made it out.

Bob said the town of Martin has come together to help out its own in the recent tragedy with clothing, shelter and even a bit of money.

This scene could have played out much different though had something as simple as garage light from a neighbor been shut off the first time....

In Martin, Shaun Sipma KX News.

The Harvey Fire Department responded to the Fire in Martin late Thursday.

Despite the efforts to save the structure, home was severely damaged by the fire.