Neighbors Pry Security Bars to Save Man From Fire, 2nd Dies : Heroism: A resident of a Reseda house was pulled out one of the windows that firefighters said were illegally barred. Another occupant was overcome by smoke trying to escape.

Two Reseda men saved a neighbor’s life in an early morning blaze Saturday by prying apart illegal anti-burglary bars and pulling the critically injured man through a window, but a second resident died because the bars blocked his only path to safety, the Los Angeles City Fire Department reported.

Donald Roy Ferguson, 49, died after he was overcome by smoke as he ran toward a door to escape flames, Fire Department and coroner’s officials said.

Ferguson was also badly burned in the 12:40 a.m. fire, which was started accidentally when a cigarette ignited a couch, Battalion Chief Neil Bullock said.

The blaze caused about $165,000 in damage to the house in the 19500 block of Saticoy Street, Bullock said.

Neighbors Dennis O’Rourke and Javier Rodriguez managed to pry apart the security bars over a bedroom window with their hands, Bullock said.

They pulled out Roy Hamilton, 44, who was in critical condition Saturday afternoon at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center with second- and third-degree burns over 93% of his body, officials said.

“Apparently he wouldn’t have made it through if they hadn’t pulled him out,” Bullock said.

Hamilton, who rented a room in the house, also suffered cuts to his abdomen when he was pulled through the broken window, Bullock said.

Bullock said Ferguson could not exit through his bedroom windows because of the security bars.

He attempted to exit through another bedroom that had a door to the outside, but did not make it to the door.

Bullock said bars on windows are illegal unless they can be opened from the inside.

“I would say he would have gotten out if they could have stepped out of a door or gotten through a window,” Bullock said.

Fire officials said O’Rourke and Rodriguez, who apparently did not know each other, will be recommended for a Fire Department commendation for their heroism.

A Los Angeles police officer suffered cuts on an arm when he broke a window attempting to rescue the men, fire officials said.

He was treated at Northridge Hospital Medical Center and released, officials said.

The owner of the house, William Reynolds, who Bullock said is in his mid-40s, was not injured.

Reynolds noticed the smoke and yelled to wake up the other two men, then called the Fire Department for help, Bullock said.

“He said it was so smoky he could hardly see the phone,” Bullock said. “He tried to get to the bedrooms, but it was so hot he just left.”