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 neighbour害羞草研究所檚 residence.

At first he thought someone might be burning garbage in their backyard, but soon realized the smoke was coming from his elderly neighbour害羞草研究所檚 home.

害羞草研究所淢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,害羞草研究所� 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. 害羞草研究所淵ou could hardly see there害羞草研究所檚 so much smoke. I yelled 害羞草研究所榟ello!害羞草研究所� and I didn害羞草研究所檛 hear anything. I walked further in, but you couldn害羞草研究所檛 see because it was black. There was smoke everywhere. I couldn害羞草研究所檛 breathe.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淎nd I said, 害羞草研究所榥o, no we have to get out, you can害羞草研究所檛 go back in,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 he said. 害羞草研究所淪he started back in, to what I later learned was her bedroom, but you couldn害羞草研究所檛 see it was so black.害羞草研究所�

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 wife害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淗er face was burned, her hair was all singed,害羞草研究所� 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 doesn害羞草研究所檛 think his neighbour would have survived more than a few minutes longer in the burning trailer.

害羞草研究所淚t was pure luck we were there at that time. And it害羞草研究所檚 weird because you always wonder what you would do,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲e didn害羞草研究所檛 even think, we just bolted. My wife went in the front and I went in the back.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淲e weren害羞草研究所檛 even going to be there,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲e just at the last minute thought, 害羞草研究所榣et害羞草研究所檚 go to the house害羞草研究所�. Because it害羞草研究所檚 supposed to be finished this week.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淭heir lives are going to be in turmoil,害羞草研究所� Duchscherer wrote in a follow-up email to the PQB News. 害羞草研究所淎nd that害羞草研究所檚 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 they害羞草研究所檝e lost everything.害羞草研究所�

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.