FD: Man in wheelchair dies after Tempe apartment fire

TEMPE, AZ - A Tempe firefighter is humble over his heroic deed to try and save a man from his burning apartment Friday.

According to Tempe fire spokesman Mike Reichling, the fire broke out around 6:30 a.m. at the Flagstone Apartment Homes near Mill Avenue and the US 60.

Captain Bob Matthews was the first to see the 63-year-old man lying outside his doorway, on fire.

"He said 'lets get him out' so I stopped what I was doing," said six-year veteran firefighter Thomas Lamp.

Lamp sprang into action so quickly it wasn't until he was pulling the man to safety that he said he realized he was missing something.

"Because he was outside his apartment, I didn't think it was that hot, but it was hot. I could feel the heat. But you do what you have to do," said Lamp, who had grabbed the burning man without putting on his gloves.

The man had burns over 75 percent of his body and died Friday morning.

Lamp suffered second degree burns over his right hand, but continued to battle the fire, even helping to save two people from the second story level.

For both firefighters Lamp and Matthews, the news was saddening.

"Because of his handicap, he literally had to crawl through the fire to the doorway," Matthews said.

"I walked past his room and the hospital staff was working on him and I could see his injures. I kind of knew there was a small chance he would survive," Lamp said.

Reichling said fire officials were familiar with the man, who had major medical issues and was in a wheelchair.

"It's always bad even when you don't know the person...it's just sad," Lamp remarked quietly.

It appears four units were affected by the blaze that fire investigators say started with a burning cigarette.