She was taken to a hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation and is expected to be OK, according to SAFD.

SAN ANTONIO — A southeast-side man said he was merely “in the right place at the right time” when he jumped to help a beloved neighbor as her home went up in flames Friday afternoon.  

San Antonio firefighters responded to the area of Golden Crown and King Heiro around 1:30 p.m., where flames overtook the structure and black smoke billowed. Fire Chief Valerie Frausto later deemed the structure a total loss, although one house pet died in the flames. 

A woman of unknown age was taken to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation and was expected to be OK, according to SAFD officials. 

Larry Hillburn said he saw the smoke and rushed to help when he noticed the victim inside. Firefighters hadn’t arrived to the scene yet. 

“She said she couldn’t see anything so she couldn’t find her way out until I yelled and she said, ‘Open the door,'” Hillburn said, as firefighers were working to clear hotspots behind him. “I opened the door, I guess it gave her the exit.”



Hillburn said the woman, whom he said he knew by Maggie, was a neighbor who often helped others who live nearby. When she exited the home, he said, she was “holding four kittens and collapsed.”

“All the elderly and infirmed that live in the area that need work done, she’ll go and she’ll cut their yards, she’ll work on their pluming, she’ll help out in the community,” he said. “I’m pretty sure that everybody’s going to be concerned about her.”

Hillburn said he reacted just like “any good human would do.”

“Didn’t even think,” he said. “Just acted.” 


Authorities said a cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

While Frausto acknowledged it’s dangerous to put oneself in harm’s way to help others stuck in a fire, she said she was glad that Hillburn “acted quickly and saved the day.”Â