DUNEDIN, Fla. — An 82-year-old woman died and another person was injured in a Thanksgiving morning fire in Dunedin.
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) said a neighbor called 911 shortly before 9:13 a.m. to report a fire at an apartment on the 1600 block of Lakeview Lane.
PCSO said upon arrival, 82-year-old Patricia Mitchel was found lying outside of the residence. Mitchel, per PCSO, had been pulled from the fire by a good Samaritan.
“I took my dog out for a walk this morning and got back home and was sitting down drinking my cup of coffee,” said Maurice Upton.
That’s when Upton said he thought he heard someone in distress calling out for help.
“So, I put my TV on mute, and I listened, and, indeed, that’s what I heard. I heard somebody screaming, hollering, ‘help, help, help me,'” Upton said. “And I saw a pillar of smoke. I saw smoke and flames and everything coming out of this lady’s apartment."
That’s when he jumped into action.
When he arrived, he said he told a neighbor – who was escaping at the time – to call 911. He said he could barely open the screen door because of all of the flames and smoke, but when he did, he said he saw a lady lying on the floor.
“With flames all over her. And there was nothing I could do but grab her by the ankles and pull her out,” said Upton.
Mitchel was taken to the hospital in serious condition where she passed away several hours later. Another person was treated at the scene by first responders.
"I was really grateful that it wasn’t anybody else in there because if there was, there was nothing I could do for them. If she hadn’t been right there at the door to where I could reach in, I wouldn’t have been able to help her,” Upton continued.
The Medical Examiner's Office will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death while detectives said the fire appears to be accidental in nature.
