Former firefighter rescues disabled woman from burning Farmingville home

FARMINGVILLE, N.Y. (WABC) -- A man is being called a hero on Long Island after he rushed into his disabled neighbor's burning home and pulled her to safety while fighting the flames.

Michael and Wendy Pabon say they can't thank their neighbor enough.

"I'm very thankful for my neighbors. I love them, I love them so much," said Wendy Pabon, the victim's daughter.

Andy Carbone, a former firefighter, ran to help save the couple's mother who was trapped alone inside their burning home.

"True content of that man's character cannot be measured, he's a true hero," said Michael Pabon, the victim's son-in-law.

But the rescue nearly didn't happen.

"By all accounts you were not supposed to be here at that time," Eyewitness News reporter Renee Stoll said.

"Yeah I wasn't, I just got released from jury duty and I was going to go out to have dinner and I told them to meet me at the place. So I got there early and she's like I'm not ready yet come home," said Andy Carbone, the hero.

As the family left the house they saw an orange glow from across the street.

"Flames were going up towards the top of the overhang. That's when I saw the dogs barking and that's when I made the decision to kick in the front door," Carbone said.

Andy yelled out and 72-year-old Caroline Prince, who is disabled, responded from a back bedroom.

"Actually she was in great spirits. I said, 'Your house is on fire,' and she's like, 'OK, you know, what are going to do?' I said, 'You're coming with me one way or the other,'" Carbone said.

Meanwhile, another neighbor and Andy's 16-year-old daughter came with fire extinguishers. Andy was able to put out most of the flames, and with the help from a police officer, he and his neighbor were able to move Caroline out of the room to a back patio.

When fire crews got on scene, they never even had to use their hoses and crews were able to concentrate on getting Caroline out of harm's way.

"I couldn't believe it, it just brought tears to my eyes, it's so amazing that people are like that," Wendy Pabon said.

Caroline is currently still at the hospital for smoke inhalation but her family says that she's expected to be fine.

Fire crews say the cause of the fire appears to be electrical.