CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. β A Chesterfield woman rescued her elderly neighbors from a house fire on Darlene Street, leading them to safety after hearing her desperate cries for help.
Tiffany Holmes was preparing for bed just before 11 p.m. Tuesday when she saw flames spreading at her neighbor's home across the street. She immediately sprang into action after realizing her elderly neighbors were in a life-or-death situation.
"All I heard was help, help, help," Holmes said.
Holmes and her father rushed across the street after their neighbor became trapped on her porch when a fire started in the front of the home. It took about 30 minutes for Chesterfield Fire and EMS crews to get the flames under control.
"You see this in the movies, and you don't really see this in person, and when you do, it's kind of scary. All you can think about is trying to help your neighbor," Holmes said.
Holmes called 911 while her father ran to help. The husband was also calling 911 from the side of his house while his wife tried to put the fire out.
"Me and my dad came down the stairs, he ran over here, I had called 911 to let them know what was going on. The husband was calling 911 as he was on the side of his house. His wife was trying to at least put the fire out," Holmes said.
When the couple realized their attempts to extinguish the fire weren't working, Holmes grabbed both of them and led them to her yard for safety.
"We wanted to make sure they were at least okay and gave them some blankets and some shoes just to help them out," Holmes said.
Holmes extended help even though she didn't know her neighbors well, saying the experience taught her an important lesson about community.
"It makes you realize that you have to start loving your neighbors, caring, checking on them, making sure you at least know, hey, I'm your neighbor, my name is, and if you need anything I'm here for you," Holmes said.
Her message to the community is simple: "Be kind and love each other."
Both people at the home made it out safely. One firefighter was treated at the hospital for minor burns. The cause of the fire is still being investigated.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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