Trending Topics

‘An incredible recovery': Calif. firefighters reunite with woman rescued in house fire

Fresno firefighters faced a significant amount of fire upon arrival before they went in to rescue the trapped woman. See the fireground video 🎥

By Anthony Galaviz
The Fresno Bee

FRESNO, Calif. — The woman who was saved in a house fire on Jan.25 has made “an incredible recovery” after having been in critical condition. The Fresno Fire Department visited the injured 89-year-old in the hospital this week to give her well wishes.

They also gave her a stuffed Dalmatian dog as part of her ongoing recovery.

| READ NEXT: Go/no-go search tactics: Research and experience drive decision-making

Fire crews responded to the blaze just after 5 p.m. in the 500 block of North Fulton Street, near Belmont Avenue, after reports of people possibly trapped inside. Firefighters went into rescue mode and searched the home for anyone inside.

The woman, who wasn’t identified, was taken out by firefighter Connor Mansheim and Fire Captain Frank Gibson. A second person managed to escape the home on their own and was being evaluated by EMS.

Before fire crews arrived, a police officer attempted to rescue residents but was overcome by “an extreme amount of smoke.”

About 50 firefighters were battling the blaze.

Fire crews said the woman spent days in critical condition in the burn unit and “against all odds, made an incredible recovery and is doing well.”

Mansheim and Gibson talked to the woman, who was in good spirits. She laughed when she was told to ask the firefighter to see his dance moves.

Trending
After rescuing residents from upper-floor windows, crews faced another crisis when a firefighter issued a mayday amid heavy smoke and later fell from a ladder
After two Clark County firefighters were flown to a burn unit following wildfire operations, Wichita firefighters coordinated a lift outside Ascension Via Christi St. Francis for a brief visit
2BUnited, founded by Jacob and Carter with guidance and support from their parents, partnered with Briarwood Products to raise money for St. Jude. Children’s Research Hospital
The Owensboro Fire Department is using short, funny TikTok videos to boost recruiting and share fire safety tips, reaching thousands of viewers in just its first week

©2026 The Fresno Bee.
Visit fresnobee.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Company News
FirstNet is powering a resilient connectivity plan to keep first responders mission ready throughout every moment of the Big Game