MESA, AZ — A Mesa woman is thanking the anonymous good Samaritans who alerted her about a fire and saved her life.
On Friday evening, near the intersection of Broadway and Crismon Road in Mesa, Annie Osman was watching television with her husband, unaware that her neighbor's house was on fire and the wind was blowing it her direction.
"The air wasn't running, so we didn't smell anything," said Osman.
A witness remembers seeing five young men stopping their cars running toward the fire. "Five young men parked their cars or stopped their cars in the middle of the road, bolted across the road, jumping fences straight toward the barreling smoke and flames," said Cindy Flabland.
"They were going door to door knocking on doors making sure everyone was out," said neighbor Lola Owens.
"They were screaming to get out of the house. Just 'Get out! Get out!'" said Osman. "If we hadn’t had got out when we did, we wouldn’t be here, they saved our life."
Osman and her husband were able to escape before the fire destroyed most of their home. The fire destroyed their neighbor's home and tore through the couple's backyard and side wall. She and her husband are currently living in a hotel.
Owens said two of the men helped rescue and transport her three dogs and pet pig to safety.
"The fireman said we have two minutes to get our animals out," said Owens. "We were able to get all of our animals out safely and they even loaded up the pig in their truck. It was one of the most scary things in my life."
Flabland, who was one of the many people who called 911, stopped the five young men and asked to take their picture. Which is all these neighbors have to go off to say thank you to the men who risked their own lives to alert of a fire.
"How wonderful these people are. I can’t thank them enough," said Osman.