Joplin family loses home in fire - KOAM TV 7

Joplin dentist helps rescue two people whose home was on fire

Fire crews say when they arrived at a fire this morning in Joplin, the smoke was so heavy they couldn't enter the building to see if anyone was still inside.  Fortunately, everyone was out.

Neighbor Timothy Crawford, a dentist, saw the smoke and banged on the front door of the home in the 500 block of South Sergeant this morning at around 7:30 a.m.  and helped two people get out of the home.

"I believe it was a mother, an elderly lady who had trouble walking, so I went and helped bring her out with her walker, and by the time they got out, they were able to see that it was a lot bigger deal than they had thought it was," says Dr. Crawford.

The home is owned by Imogene Runner and suffered extensive damage, but there were no injuries.

Red Cross was called to assist the family.