Firefighters rescue woman from burning home in central Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A heroic moment was captured on camera as Fresno firefighters saved a woman from a burning central Fresno home on Friday morning.

The fire broke out around 10 am at a home near Cedar and Grant avenues.

"I felt frozen, I felt stuck, I felt like my world ended right there you know. 'Cause we didn't know what was happening with her," said Judy Mena.

Judy is sharing how she felt knowing her girlfriend was trapped inside the house.

Helmet camera footage provided to Action News by the Fresno Fire Department shows the moment firefighters pulled the woman out.

Judy says her girlfriend went inside to save her dogs.

"She was in there for like ten minutes yelling for help because she was in the kitchen and the ceiling collapsed on her, right in front of her," recalled Judy.

Sadly, four of their five dogs died.

Fresno fire says the preliminary investigation revealed a wall heater started the blaze.

"There was some sort of extension of heat that came out of that unit that caught the exterior of the house on fire and then spread up through the attic and the rest of the house," said Fresno Fire Battalion Chief Brian Downs.

The fire also spread to a neighbor's home.

They didn't want to speak on camera, but told Action News they are expecting a baby and it destroyed all the child's belongings.

"It's unbelievable, you just don't think it's gonna happen to you until it does," said Tino Mena, Judy's brother.

Tino Mena, Judy's brother, says he's heartbroken to know his family's home is no more.

"My mom's picture was right on the side of this wall, right on the other side, the last picture we took of her, yeah, it was right there," said Tino.

Firefighters say this fire is a reminder to check that your heaters are working properly as the temperatures start to drop.

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