Firefighter saves man
By Steve Herring
Published in News on January 22, 2014 1:46 PM
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Photo courtesy of Weslea Gray
Gary Diaz escaped from his burning home Tuesday night by jumping from a second-story bathroom window and into the arms of New Hope Capt. Al Laws, who helped break his fall. The home was a total loss.
A Goldsboro man escaped from his burning home Tuesday night by jumping from a second-story bathroom window and into the arms of a New Hope firefighter who helped break his fall.
Gary Diaz, who was home alone at the time of the fire, was taken to Wayne Memorial Hospital by Wayne County EMS.
The home at 623 E. Raintree Lane, valued at $236,000, and the contents, valued at $60,000, were a total loss, New Hope Fire Chief Donald Gray said.
Gray said he could not comment on Diaz's condition.
He said that New Hope Capt. Al Laws was visiting his daughter who lives next to Diaz when the fire call came in just before 8 p.m.
"He had his turnout gear and went to the front of the house that was fully involved," Gray said. "He heard a man hollering.
"He went around back and (Diaz) was hanging out the window. He was upstairs. He was trapped."
A nearby ladder proved too short to reach the window. Laws helped coax Diaz out of the window and into jumping, Gray said.
Gray said he is confident that Laws' actions in helping break the fall helped reduce any injuries Diaz might have suffered.
The cause of the fire remained undetermined this morning and was being investigated by the New Hope Fire Department and Wayne County Fire Marshal's Office. It was believed to have started in the downstairs living room.
Saulston and East Wayne fire departments provided mutual aid. Firefighters were on the scene for about three-and-a-half hours.
Firefighting efforts were somewhat hampered by the undersized water lines serving the area, Gray said.
"We were having to shuttle water in with our tankers," he said.