A Fort Worth man is being hailed a hero after making sure his entire family got out of their burning home early Monday morning.
Smoke detectors woke Ricky Pimpton just after 7:30 a.m. in the 1200 block of East Tucker Street; when he saw fire he jumped into action.
"I got up and the fire was getting too bad and we couldn't contain it, so we started trying to get out," said Pimpton. "I put my mother out the window, then I had to get my brother and put him out the window."
All four people in the home made it out safely.
"I'm grateful. I'm very grateful," said Pimpton. "The Lord is good. I got my family."
Pimpton's mother was taken to the hospital after cutting her hand while climbing out the window, but she's expected to be fine.
The house was gutted.
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Pimpton watched with tears in his eyes as firefighters combed through what was left.
"That's just not something you want to wake up to," he said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation and the American Red Cross is helping the Pimpton's after the fire.
Fort Worth firefighters said the Pimptons' story is a perfect example of why everyone needs a working smoke detector.
"We really are talking about a matter of seconds between life and death," said Fort Worth Fire Department spokesman Richard Harrison.
Firefighters said six people have died in four separate incidents in Fort Worth, where no working smoke detectors were found in the home.
Fort Worth residents who cannot afford a smoke detector can call 817-392-6862, the fire department will install a smoke detector free of charge.
