Dallas firefighters rescued an elderly couple from their burning Oak Cliff home Monday after a mail carrier reported the blaze.
The fire erupted around noon in the 1200 block of Whispering Trail in Southeast Oak Cliff. A mail carrier spotted the flames and called 911, alerting firefighters that an elderly couple might be trapped inside.
Crews pulled a woman in her 70s from a front bedroom. Her husband was found unresponsive and initially believed to have died at the scene, according to fire officials.
Paramedics continued performing CPR during transport to Methodist Dallas Medical Center. Doctors there were able to revive the man.
“Following a rescue from the fire, Dallas Fire-Rescue paramedics performed life-saving measures on the unresponsive male victim while en route to Methodist Dallas Medical Center. Due to the victim’s critical state upon arrival, information was prematurely released indicating he had succumbed to his injuries,” said Jason Evans, a Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman, per Fox 4 KDFW.
“While we regret the initial inaccurate report, we are immensely proud of our firefighters and paramedics for their heroic actions, as well as our hospital partners whose life-saving interventions have given this resident a fighting chance.”
Fire investigators believe the blaze started in a back bedroom. Investigators said the husband may have exited the home before reentering to assist his wife and was overcome by smoke.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
