News Carrier Rescues Woman, 87, From Fire

A newspaper carrier who saw smoke billowing from a residence at Leisure World in Laguna Hills early Tuesday pushed his way inside and carried an elderly injured woman to safety.

Patrick Antrim, Orange County Fire Department spokesman, credited William A. Barron, 40, of Laguna Hills, a Los Angeles Times carrier for three years, with helping save the life of Lucille Hollingsworth, 87.

“Nothing like this has ever happened in my life before,” said Barron, who works full time as an underwriter for an Irvine finance company.

Hollingsworth, who was found semiconscious by Barron near her front door, suffered smoke inhalation and first- and second-degree burns on about 20% of her body, Antrim said. She was taken to UCI Medical Center in Orange with burns on her face and arms, and was in serious condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Barron said he was delivering newspapers as usual in a golf cart about 3:30 a.m., and was about to leave a four-unit building that included Hollingsworth’s residence, when he smelled smoke.

“I turned and saw smoke billowing out from the eaves and a bedroom light was giving off an orange glow,” Barron said in a phone interview Tuesday. “I knocked on the door but had to pound it with my shoulder to open it.”

Despite a considerable amount of smoke, Barron was able to crawl into the hallway where he found Hollingsworth lying on the floor.

“I found her about 5 to 10 feet from the door . . . . She barely was conscious but coherent and the first thing she said was, ‘I tried to put it out.’ ”

He picked the woman up and carried her outside, he said.

“Then I went around to the other three manors (units) and pounded on the doors and yelled fire.”

Other residents, who were awakened by Barron, were able to escape the blaze, firefighters said. Barron then ran to a neighboring unit and called for paramedics.

Antrim said Hollingsworth’s residence was 80% destroyed. Damage was estimated at about $56,000.

Hollingsworth told fire investigators she was awakened by a smoke detector and went to the living room to investigate when she was overcome by smoke.

“At that point, she was unable to get out,” Antrim said. “Barron saw smoke and forced the door open, crawled inside and was able to rescue her. When our fire trucks arrived, we found a fully involved fire.”

Antrim said the smoke detector in Hollingsworth’s home was definitely “an asset.” But he cautioned fire victims who are awakened and smell smoke in their homes to first notify the Fire Department.

“That will allow us to get on the road headed for the fire just in case you are overcome by smoke or can’t get out,” Antrim said.

Doug Boyd, Barron’s supervisor, said Barron’s deed was the second fire rescue and the third heroic effort by a carrier in 12 years at Leisure World.

In one incident, a carrier helped a woman who had suffered a heart attack, Boyd said.