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Good Samaritan describes saving 3 people from burning Spring Hill home: 'I didn't even think twice'

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Published  December 30, 2024 5:51am EST
Hernando County
FOX 13 News

Hero speaks after saving 3 from burning home

FOX 13’s Jordan Bowen speaks with Lorene Whittington, whose quick actions helped save three people trapped in a burning home in Hernando County.

The Brief

    • Lorene Whittington was among those who helped save three people trapped in a burning home in Spring Hill.
    • Suzanne Wimer, Tom Jones and a third person made it out safely.
    • Whittington said she never panicked as she rushed to help.

SPRING HILL, Fla. - Days after helping save three people trapped in a burning home in Spring Hill, a woman shared the moments surrounding the quick rescue with FOX 13 News.

Lorene Whittington said she and her friend were getting a ride to work with her friend's relative on Friday when they passed by the home on Harrow Rd., and saw flames in the front window. They all ran to help.

"They were like, ‘thank God.’ We don't know what we would have done because they would have died. They would have probably dropped right at that window because there was so much smoke," Whittington said.

Three people made it out of their burning home in Spring Hill after Good Samaritans stopped to help last Friday.

Three people made it out of their burning home in Spring Hill after Good Samaritans stopped to help last Friday.

"He went to the front door and was pounding hard. ‘Your house is on fire. Your house is on fire. Is anybody in there?’ And then we heard somebody at the bedroom window. I then ran to the bedroom window and there was a woman there, and I told her to break the window," Whittington said.

Lorene Whittington was among those who helped save three people from a burning home in Spring Hill.

Lorene Whittington was among those who helped save three people from a burning home in Spring Hill.

Suzanne Wimer was the woman on the other side of the window, trapped inside.

"I felt the heat and the smoke started pouring at me so I went back into the bedroom and I slammed the door shut. I woke him up and I started to figure out, ‘OK, where are we going to get out?’" Wimer said.

PREVIOUS: Good Samaritan saves three lives in Spring Hill

That's when Wimer said she saw Whittington at her window.

"I said, ‘push the screen.’ She pushed the screen. I grabbed it, threw it to the ground, and she put her leg out. And I pulled her out. And now I say, ‘anybody else?' She said, ‘my husband’ or ‘my boyfriend.’ And he flapped his leg out and I pulled him out," Whittington said.

Tom Jones and the third person inside the home also made it out safely. They said this happened in just a matter of minutes.

Suzanne Wimer, Tom Jones and a third person made it out of their burning home in Spring Hill after Good Samaritans stopped to help last Friday.

Suzanne Wimer, Tom Jones and a third person made it out of their burning home in Spring Hill after Good Samaritans stopped to help last Friday.

"I didn't even think twice. They say, some people say, you panic. I didn't panic. I did not panic. And went right to the window where they were. And I was going to bust the window. Had she not been able to get out, I would have busted it," Whittington said.

Three people made it out of a burning home on Friday morning thanks to the quick actions of a bystander, according to Hernando County Fire Rescue. (Courtesy: HCFR.)

Three people made it out of a burning home on Friday morning thanks to the quick actions of a bystander, according to Hernando County Fire Rescue. (Courtesy: HCFR.)

On Saturday, they all reunited for the first time since the fire and both Jones and Wimer got the chance to thank Whittington for stopping to help.

"Literally, just was like a blessing. It just serendipitous, you know? It's the only thing I can think. It's crazy," Wimer said.

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