Neighbors Credited For Rescuing Mother, Kids Trapped In Burning Ponca City Home

PONCA CITY, Oklahoma – News 9

Two neighbors are being credited for saving the life of a mother and her kids who became trapped in their home that caught fire.

Ponca City firefighters responded to the home in the 800 block of Elm Street around 1:15p.m. Sunday, December 12th.

Before firefighters arrived, renter Beulah Ingram said she and her kids needed help immediately.

Ingram says family was visiting when they began to smell smoke towards the front of the home.

Small flames, Ingram says, engulfed the entire front façade of the home in a matter of seconds.

“It was extremely scary,” said Ingram. “The entire house is all black. You can’t see anything.  There is zero visibility.”

Two of Ingram’s kids made it out of the home safely.

While trying to save the third, Ingram says she and her son became trapped inside by flames. Panic set in as life flashed before their eyes.

“The one that we got out first, he has epilepsy, and I was thinking what is he going to do?” said Ingram. “Who is going to take care of him? All these emotions are going through my head. I just kept thinking we’ve got to get out of here, we’ve got to get out of here.”

After hearing Ingram and her son cry for help, neighbors George Lockett and Gordon Lunn jump into action.

Lockett said Lunn dodged flames and ran through the front door, helped get Ingram and her son to navigate their way to a backdoor which they later discovered was jammed.

After kicking in the jammed door, Lockett says he pulled Ingram and her son to safety.

“I can’t reiterate how thankful I am that they were there,” said Ingram. “They didn’t have to go put themselves and their life into danger, but they did. They had that good heart, that reaction of ‘I got to go help these kids, help this family.’”

“I feel like it was my duty as a human being to look out for these people that needed help and (were in) distress,” said Lockett. “I (do not) see it being any other way for any American to not go into action when they see something like this.”

Christmas this year for the Ingram’s has come with a gift that money could never buy, a second chance at time spent together.

“I’m just thankful that they are still here with us, and they will have something to always remember that there are good people in the world,” said Lockett. “Everybody is not evil.”

Nobody involved in the incident was seriously hurt. Ingram suffered burns to portions of her face and arm. The extreme heat burned part of Ingram’s eyebrows and eyelashes off.

It is unclear what led to the fire but Ingram says she believes it was an electrical fire.

The family did not have renters’ insurance and are staying with family nearby while they decide what is next.

Ponca City firefighters were able to quickly put out the flames.

The home is considered a total loss.