Good Samaritan saves man from burning house in Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - A Jefferson County man is being called a hero for helping save an elderly man from his burning home.

29-year-old Keena Dowdell was just finishing up utility work on Third Street North and Graymont Avenue when he heard screams coming from a nearby house.

“I didn’t see smoke or smell any smoke,” Dowdell said. “But, when I got ready to leave, I was just going through my work stuff and I heard somebody scream.”

Dowdell said he instantly ran up to the house when the man inside told him he couldn’t get out of the window or find his phone. The victim is disabled.

“I ran to my truck grabbed my shovel and busted the window,” Dowdell said. “But, when I busted the window, there was another glass behind that glass and a burglary bar behind that. I hit the bar a few more times, it got loose, but knew it wasn’t going to get loose enough in time for me to get him out of there.”

He started pulling on the door and calling the fire department with his work phone. He eventually got the door open and helped the man inside.

“I started pulling on the door, pulling on the door,” Dowdell said. “I asked him if he called the fire department and he said he couldn’t find his phone. I used my work phone to call the fire department. I’m talking to them while I’m trying to get him out. I end up loosing my work phone. Once I got him out, I heard them saying hello. Another guy had rode by when they saw it was on fire, they stopped and helped me get him across the street.”

Dowdell was working near the scene for U.S. Infrastructure Company (USIC).

“I just seen the man was in there trapped,” he said. “The house was on fire, I just tried my best to get him out of there. I feel good, I feel really good about it. This is the first time I’ve ever been in a position to save someone’s life like that.”

The man who was saved was transported to the emergency room in stable condition.

No injuries were sustained by BFRS personnel.

The fire is under investigation at this time.

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