Woman suffers critical injuries in Suffolk house fire

SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - Doctors list a woman in critical condition after firefighters pulled her from her burning home Saturday morning.

Fire crews responded to the 100 block of Mallard Drive in the Burnett's Mill subdivision around 9 a.m. for reports of a house fire.

Nearly half of the home on the 100 block of Mallard Drive was blackened and broken from the blaze.  It was a disheartening sight for this homeowner's son who rushed over when neighbors alerted him to the fire.

"I was pretty upset and shook up. I had to get out here in a hurry. In fact, I got pulled over on the way over here," homeowner's son Nicholas Boyle said.

Neighbors say the homeowner's friend 69-year-old Mary Rodgers crawled out of the home during the fire. Then, she went back inside the burning home to save two dogs Puddles and Peanut. All the while the homeowner, 64-year-old Janet Boyle, was trapped inside.

"Firefighters were able to safely remove her (Boyle) from the burning building. There was severe damage. It was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived," City of Suffolk spokesperson Diana Klink said.

Klink says a firefighter was even injured during the rescue. Boyle's son says he is grateful for the brave first responders who risked their lives to save her.

"It was a heroic act. I'm very appreciative to the firefighters who helped get both of them out of the home. It was a severe fire," said Boyle.

Shortly after the blaze, neighbors offered to take care of Boyle's dogs. It's level of compassion Klink say doesn't surprise her, because of what this neighborhood has endured in the past.

"I wouldn't have expected anything less of this neighborhood. Tragically this neighborhood was hit by tornadoes a few years ago. This is definitely one of our communities where people are on stand by to help their fellow neighbor," said Klink.

Rodgers was airlifted to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital for burns and smoke inhalation, according to a fire department spokesperson. Boyle was taken to Sentara Obici for smoke inhalation.

Two dogs were able to escape the blaze but one cat was found dead inside the house.

The Fire Marshal's Office is still working to determine the cause of the fire.