Plumber rescues family off roof of burning building

WSMV

By Brendan Tierney

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    SPARTA, Tennessee (WSMV) — A family of six has lost everything after their home and business was destroyed in a fire on Sunday morning, but they are just thankful to have been rescued off the roof by a plumber who was driving by and stopped to help.

J.D. Wooten didn’t hesitate to grab the ladder off the top of his truck and save the family from the burning building. The Lee Company plumber said he could see the metal was starting to change color from the flames as he saw the cloud of smoke driving by on the highway heading to a job.

Wooten got off at the next exit and arrived before first responders and even climbed back up to rescue the family’s dog.

“These people need help. That was the only thing I was thinking,” Wooten said. “What can I do? I’ve always been a servant, so I’ve been waiting for my chance to help someone. Guess it was my time to shine. Right place at the right time.”

The family that lived and ran their RV repair business out of the building told WSMV4 off-camera that they are eternally grateful for what Wooten did and are now trying to get their business back up and running while looking for a new place to live.

They moved into the building about six months ago, but Dale Walker has owned the building for 30 years.

“There are a lot of memories here,” Walker said. “When you go up, and you drive in, and you watch 30 years of memories go up in smoke. The family that lived here, they had their business here, pretty much lost everything. My heart goes out to them. Again, thankfully and prayerfully they are well, and no one was hurt.”

Walker and first responders called Wooten a hero, but he said that couldn’t be further from the truth. The father was just stepping in to help people in need, and he is hopeful other people in their community would do the same if they saw him in an emergency.

“The mom was crying hysterically,” Wooten said. “I was just trying to calm them down. Everything was going to be alright. Help was coming. I was just trying to reassure her that everything was going to be alright because she had her kids with her. I’m a father too and know what it’s like to be more worried about your kids than yourself.”

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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