House fire blazes on Windsor Road

THEODORE, Ala. (WALA) - It was a scary scene on Fowl River Wednesday. A house was engulfed in flames with an elderly woman inside. She was safe, thanks to a group of construction workers.

Homeowner Debbie Okrzesik said she had just left her home, and her husband was due back any minute.

"I went to pick up my son from his sister's (house,) and it happened just that quick," said Okrzesik.

At the time of the fire, her mother was inside. Her son-in-law, Tommy Adams, said she would have had a hard time getting out.

"She's on a breathing machine and walker," said Adams.

But thankfully, a construction crew was working on the other side of the canal. Once they saw the flames, they jumped into action.

Joseph Jarmon was the first on the scene.

"I was running like I was going to swim across the river but a guy was coming in his boat so I got across the river," said Jarmon.

Jarmon saw the elderly woman trying to get out the door, but couldn't. He told the woman to get back, and kicked it in.

The rest of the crew was right behind him.

Jarvis Legget said he didn’t think twice.

"I didn't have nothing on in my mind, just make sure everybody was alright," said Legget.

They grabbed the woman's oxygen tank and wheeled her out of the flaming house. Philip Burse said at first the woman was confused.

"She was like, ‘What's going on?’ And I was like, ‘The house is on fire, and we've got to get you out,’" said Bruse.

To the men, it was a simple act, but to the family they are heroes.

"Amazing. It just tells you that there are some good people in this world," said Adams.

They also believe there was someone looking down on them. Two beams form a cross directly in the center of the home.

"It’s the only beam standing in the back of the house. It’s a perfect cross, and it looks special,” said Okrzesik.

There is still no word on what caused the blaze.