Marine saves paralyzed man from house fire

Memphis, Tenn. — A bystander is being hailed a hero after saving the life of a paralyzed man trapped inside a house fire in Memphis Tuesday morning.

Morgan Jones, a former U.S. Marine, was in the neighborhood working on construction when the fire broke out around 6 a.m.

Jones called 911 and was told someone was trapped inside. That's when he jumped into action.

"Being in the Marine Corps, I just jumped in and started doing what I could to help save lives," Jones told WHBQ.

Jones saw the man, who is paralyzed from the waist down, was pinned by his wheelchair near a window that he was trying to crawl towards.

Another bystander, Aaron Nathaniel, pitched in and broke the window with his bare hands to assist Jones. He was cut by the glass and treated on the scene.

"I crawled in, wrapped my shirt around my face, got the wheelchair out of the way and drug him as far as I could to the window," Jones said.

He then got a water hose and gave it to the man so he could breathe fresh air until the fire department arrived.

When asked if he was scared, Jones said, "No, sir. Been through worse."

Four other people escaped the fire. The man was transported to the hospital for treatment. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Cox Media Group