Lubbock Man Runs Into Burning Apartment, Tries to Save Neighbor
By: Michaela MacDonald
Updated: December 3, 2012
"I jumped up, went to my neighbors room and his bed was on fire," said Ned Taylor Jr.
Taylor jumped into action early Saturday morning as he tried to save his neighbor, 60-year-old Lee Andrew Dial.
"It was so smoky, and all me and the guy were doing was just bending down making sure that he wasn't in the bed. And we didn't see him in the bed like I said. We didn't know he was in the restroom," said Taylor.
Taylor says the flames spread so fast the restroom would have been unreachable.
He said, "There was a big old flame it had spread I think over from this side over to the restroom, and like I said even if we had tried, wanted to go in the restroom we wouldn't have made it. It was gone too bad."
Taylor says he didn't hesitate to run into the burning apartment, and he wishes he could have saved Dial.
"He was my friend, and I just said that if he was in there at that time I was gonna try to get him out. But if he had been in the bed we would have pulled him out," said Taylor.
Neighbors say they have a close-knit community and Dial will be greatly missed.
But I know he will be missed around here, and I just pray that the family can get through this," said neighbor David Childs.
"I am just used to seeing him in there, and its been bothering me pretty good," said Taylor.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and autopsy results are expected Monday afternoon.
Taylor jumped into action early Saturday morning as he tried to save his neighbor, 60-year-old Lee Andrew Dial.
"It was so smoky, and all me and the guy were doing was just bending down making sure that he wasn't in the bed. And we didn't see him in the bed like I said. We didn't know he was in the restroom," said Taylor.
Taylor says the flames spread so fast the restroom would have been unreachable.
He said, "There was a big old flame it had spread I think over from this side over to the restroom, and like I said even if we had tried, wanted to go in the restroom we wouldn't have made it. It was gone too bad."
Taylor says he didn't hesitate to run into the burning apartment, and he wishes he could have saved Dial.
"He was my friend, and I just said that if he was in there at that time I was gonna try to get him out. But if he had been in the bed we would have pulled him out," said Taylor.
Neighbors say they have a close-knit community and Dial will be greatly missed.
But I know he will be missed around here, and I just pray that the family can get through this," said neighbor David Childs.
"I am just used to seeing him in there, and its been bothering me pretty good," said Taylor.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and autopsy results are expected Monday afternoon.
