SWOYERSVILLE, Pa. -- A hero firefighter, with roots in Luzerne County, is credited with rescuing two people who were nearly killed in a fire in another state.
"It's a lot of smoke in the room we can't breathe." That came from a woman trapped inside a bedroom in a burning house in Maryland with her boyfriend.
The woman pled for help. Among those who responded to the home was Luzerne County native Marty Mahon.
Mahon was the one who broke down the door to the couple's room in the basement.
"As soon as I forced an entry, I made it through what appeared to be a bedroom. I reached up forward I found an arm, found her face, grabbed both arms," said Marty Mahon, Prince George's County Fire Department.
The woman can be seen being dragged from the home unconscious in the video.
Thanks to the Swoyersville native and his colleagues, both people survived.
After a trip to the hospital, the rescued couple returned to the home and gave Mahon a proper thank you.
"Makes for a pretty good day at work," said Mahon.
The now 31-year-old has trained to be a career fireman since high school, even living at several firehouses in Maryland to run calls as a volunteer.
His former mentor was emotional watching the footage, but he's not surprised by Marty's success.
"Marty was 100 percent interior fireman, he loves to train. He's a good fireman, I was on the lines with him at a bunch of fires, and he goes in and puts a fire out," said John Konopka, Former Swoyersville Hose Company #2 Deputy Chief.
Marty's parents still live in Luzerne County.
Both tell Newswatch 16 they're proud as can be of their son, the hero.