TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A mail carrier just happened to be in the right place at the right time to save a life.
Jason Moss has been a mailman working his route along North Greenwood Avenue day after day for years. When he went by on Friday and saw smoke, he knew the life of a disabled man inside was in jeopardy had to be saved.
Six years of delivering packages and letters day after day and Moss said he never expected to be part of a rescue operation.
“I had the whole feeling like I had this adrenaline rush, like I have to get this guy out. Like, he’s gotta come out one way or the other,” Moss explained.
He knew 68-year-old Terry Sims was inside and was confined to a bed due to medical issues.
“I immediately went to the window, took the screens out of the window and proceeded to go in,” Moss said. “The smoke was so thick that when I got the windows open and went to go in, you couldn’t even breathe.”
That didn’t stop Moss. He kept trying to endure the thick smoke.
“I went to go in, got a good breath, thought I could go in and as soon as I hit it my eyes watered, I dropped to my knees and had to come out.”
Tampa Police Officer Richard Caldwell arrived and began helping Moss.
“We proceeded to go around to the side of the house and go in through a side window, but it was barricaded.”
That’s when Sergeant Larry Brass arrived wearing breathing equipment and was able to make his way inside the burning home.
“He went into the house with the mask on and handed Mr. Simms out to Officer Caldwell and I. So, we had to reach in and help slide him out the window,” said Moss.
All because this postal worker wouldn’t give up, his customer’s life was spared along with the two dogs inside.
Tampa Fire Rescue tells us one firefighter is recovering from minor burns and is expected to recover. They also say the blaze was sparked by an electrical malfunction – likely the air conditioning unit.
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