A Hilliers woman is lucky to be alive after she was rescued from a burning mobile home by her neighbours.

On Monday (Feb. 26) Stacy Duchscherer and his wife Kim Duchscherer stopped by to check on their home, which was being renovated, when he saw thick smoke coming from his neighbourB次元官网网址檚 residence.

At first he thought someone might be burning garbage in their backyard, but soon realized the smoke was coming from his elderly neighbourB次元官网网址檚 home.

B次元官网网址淢y wife ran to the front door and I went to the back porch and I climbed in, up the stairs and I looked in,B次元官网网址� said Duchscherer, who was glad he happened to be wearing his prosthetic leg that day, as he spends most of his time in a wheelchair. B次元官网网址淵ou could hardly see thereB次元官网网址檚 so much smoke. I yelled B次元官网网址榟ello!B次元官网网址� and I didnB次元官网网址檛 hear anything. I walked further in, but you couldnB次元官网网址檛 see because it was black. There was smoke everywhere. I couldnB次元官网网址檛 breathe.B次元官网网址�

He yelled again and this time he heard a little voice call back to him. Duchscherer could make out a small figure walking through the smoke.

The woman, her face blackened by smoke, asked Duchscherer to help her put out the fire.

B次元官网网址淎nd I said, B次元官网网址榥o, no we have to get out, you canB次元官网网址檛 go back in,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪he started back in, to what I later learned was her bedroom, but you couldnB次元官网网址檛 see it was so black.B次元官网网址�

Duchscherer had to step back outside onto the porch to grab a deep breath. Holding his breath, he went back inside, unable to see past his nose because of the thick smoke.

He found his neighbour still attempting to put out the fire amid the confusion. Duchscherer put his arm around her and guided her out of the trailer, aided by the sound of his wifeB次元官网网址檚 voice at the front door.

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Duchscherer checked the trailer to make sure no one else was inside. Worried about gas lines, he left, then called 911 and sat down with Kim and the neighbour.

B次元官网网址淗er face was burned, her hair was all singed,B次元官网网址� Duchscherer said.

One person was transported to hospital, according to Fire Chief Ron Schildroth, of the Coombs-Hilliers Volunteer Fire Department.

Duchscherer is just glad he was there to help and said he doesnB次元官网网址檛 think his neighbour would have survived more than a few minutes longer in the burning trailer.

B次元官网网址淚t was pure luck we were there at that time. And itB次元官网网址檚 weird because you always wonder what you would do,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e didnB次元官网网址檛 even think, we just bolted. My wife went in the front and I went in the back.B次元官网网址�

He and his wife had stopped by on a whim to check out the home that day.

B次元官网网址淲e werenB次元官网网址檛 even going to be there,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e just at the last minute thought, B次元官网网址榣etB次元官网网址檚 go to the houseB次元官网网址�. Because itB次元官网网址檚 supposed to be finished this week.B次元官网网址�

The smoke inhalation gave both Duchscherer and his wife headaches, even the day after the fire, plus sore throats and tight chests.

He is concerned for his neighbours, who are both elderly and now have lost their home.

B次元官网网址淭heir lives are going to be in turmoil,B次元官网网址� Duchscherer wrote in a follow-up email to the PQB B次元官网网址. B次元官网网址淎nd thatB次元官网网址檚 sad, because they are both in their later years, and are both unable to walk, lift or move things. Happiness for sure as they are both alive, but sad because theyB次元官网网址檝e lost everything.B次元官网网址�

The fire department was paged out at approximately 10:45 a.m. and within the hour the fire was out and crews were clearing the scene, Schildroth added.

CHVFD was assisted by the Errington, Qualicum Beach, Dashwood and Parksville departments.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to Schildroth.