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Colorado fire: Man pulls neighbor from burning home

SUPERIOR, Colo. — A Colorado man proved to be a great neighbor on Thursday, pulling a resident from his burning home as the Marshall Fire raged through the area.

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Phil Kupfner, of Superior, was fighting the flames that already have destroyed nearly 1,000 homes and damaged more than 125 other buildings. He and his brothers were using hoses in an attempt to subdue the blaze at his property, KUSA-TV reported.

“They were originally kind of using their hoses, and they thought they had kind of made some progress with a lot in deterring the fire. And then they just thought embers kind of coming up over the top and catching all their roofs on fire,” Kupfner’s niece, Jessica, told the television station. “And that was when they were like, ‘Oh God, get out.’”

Kupfner left but returned when he realized that one of his neighbors was still inside his home.

“He knew the neighbor was inside,” Jessica told KUSA. “So yeah, he went back.”

>> Colorado fire: 3 people missing, nearly 1,000 homes destroyed, sheriff says

Family members said that Kupfner ran into the burning residence and brought the man to safety, putting him in his truck and driving away, the television station reported.

The rescue took a toll, however. Both men are now in intensive care at an area hospital, according to KUSA. Their conditions are unknown.

According to the Rocky Mountain Area Type 1 Incident Management Team, the Marshall Fire has burned 6,219 acres and is 62% contained, KDVR-TV reported.



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