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Neighbors pull man from burning home in St. Paul

"We just stopped what we were doing and we ran over there."

ST PAUL, Minn. — The flames were impossible to miss, but Paul Warner first heard the sound. 

"It sounded like a car accident, and I actually turned around and looked, and you could see debris coming off the house," Warner said, "We just stopped what we were doing and we ran over there."

The St. Paul Fire Department says they suspect natural gas in an apparent home explosion on Hall Avenue Saturday afternoon. 

In the home, Warner's neighbor, who Warner says is in his 70's. 

The St. Paul Fire Department says Warner and another man tried kicking down the door to get to the man inside, then they moved to a window. 

"We got to a window and we were yelling his name, and he came over, and we pulled him out and crossed the street to get away from it," Warner said, "Thank God he made it to the window."

St. Paul firefighters say the fire was so dangerous, they couldn't go inside the two-story home, fighting it from the outside instead. 

"You could see debris coming off the house and then it went up again," Warner said, "There were like two explosions."

Regions Hospital said Saturday evening the man was in fair condition. 

"We just did what we would do for anybody else, I guess," said Warner, "Just ran over there and tried to help him."

The St. Paul Fire Department says they hope to have a recognition ceremony for Warner and the other man, who they say were instrumental in saving their neighbor's life.

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