97-year-old Woman Rescued from Burning Home by Neighbor in Alamo

The quick and heroic actions of a neighbor in Alamo rescued a 97-year-old woman from a burning home Sunday evening.

A fire at 33 Via Aspero was reported at 5:43 p.m. Sunday evening, the Contra Costa Times reported.

Neighbor Randy Harrell and his son, according to the report, jumped the fence of the burning home and went through the back door where they found the 96-year-old woman.

Contra Costa Times, April 6:

Then they went to the back door and found the 96-year-old woman, the man's mother, in her kitchen on the phone with 911 dispatch, Harrell said. The front of the house was ablaze and smoke was pouring into the kitchen.

So Harrell said he carried the woman, who uses a walker, out of her house, lifting her over the fence at the edge of the yard and handing her to his son. He was able to get the family's dog out of the house, too.

San Ramon Valley told the CCT that the fire started with embers in an outdoor plastic trash bin after the 96-year-old woman and her son cleaned out the home's fireplace earlier in the day.

Get more information and view photos of the incident.