Neighbor Comes To Aid Of Senior Citizen Home On Fire In Miami

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Nearly a dozen senior citizens have their neighbor to thank for saving them from a house fire at an assisted living facility they share in Miami.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue was called to the scene Saturday at 5300 S.W. 104th Avenue by Luis Leon who noticed the fire from across the street.

The good Samaritan said he was relaxing on his patio and immediately jumped into action when he saw smoke.

"I realized the old folks weren't getting out, they were screaming and confused," said Leon. "I jumped the fence and started pulling all those people out of the house. I dragged them to the street and called 911."

That's when other neighbors noticed and began joining in.

"They started helping me," Leon continued. "And we pulled them out to a safe place across the street from my house."

As first responders arrived, however, they realized there was still one more person inside the home.

"By that time, there was a lot of smoke and I couldn't get in. It was irritating my eyes," Leon admitted. "But rescue was here so I jumped and told the lieutenant there was another missing old man in the back room. So they went there, broke down the door, and rescued the old man."

Paramedics were seen taking at least one person on a stretcher into an ambulance, although authorities have not released information on injuries, if any.

Leon believes a woman inside the home accidentally started the fire from a cigarette.

"Apparently she was smoking and she set one of the rooms on fire," Leon said. "It was a fire, a lot of smoke, a lot of smoke. But it was controllable thanks to the immediate action of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue."

An official investigation is now underway.