RIVERDALE, Iowa -
An Iowa woman is grateful for the heroic neighbor who rushed into a burning house to save her 85 year old mother. It's the latest on a story you'll only see on News 8.
Saturday flames destroyed a home in Riverdale but the woman who lived there is alive. As News 8's Chris Williams reports, her family is praising a neighbor who risked his own life.
Lisa Showalter's daughter says her mom suffered major smoke inhalation and describes her condition as "guarded" but doctors at the University of Iowa's Burn Unit are hopeful.
Red and orange flames had already devoured the living area when they shot from the attic on Sycamore Lane. Firefighters in full gear battled to snuff out the stubborn blaze but the most heroic act of the morning was performed by barefooted neighbor Bob Dominacki.
"I ran over there and tried to get in the house through the garage and the door was locked. I have a key for the breezeway door and I got that door open and it was so smokey you couldn't see anything", Dominacki said describing the rescue. "I went to the front door, it was locked, but I heard a noise behind the glass and I kicked the door open and Lisa, the neighbor lady, was laying on the floor inside the door and I got her out of the house."
"I can't even begin to express that he's a hero", said Lisa's daughter Lenee Sinnott, "and we're eternally grateful to him because if it hadn't been for him the outcome would have certainly been much different."
For the past quarter century Bob has lived next the 85 year old Showalter. About 7:30a.m. Saturday, another neighbor called Bob when she saw smoke billowing from Lisa's house. Dominacki threw on pants and then rushed into the fire barefooted to save the elderly woman.
"If Bobby hadn't been there the outcome would not have been good, there's no question about that", Lenee told us.
Today, as Lisa's house sat charred and quiet in the Fall air, the good samaritan next door downplayed his actions. Lenee can't say enough about the neighbor who risked his own life to save her mom.
"Hero. That describes Bobby. Hero", said Sinnott, adding, "Thank god for Bobby!"
Saturday flames destroyed a home in Riverdale but the woman who lived there is alive. As News 8's Chris Williams reports, her family is praising a neighbor who risked his own life.
Lisa Showalter's daughter says her mom suffered major smoke inhalation and describes her condition as "guarded" but doctors at the University of Iowa's Burn Unit are hopeful.
Red and orange flames had already devoured the living area when they shot from the attic on Sycamore Lane. Firefighters in full gear battled to snuff out the stubborn blaze but the most heroic act of the morning was performed by barefooted neighbor Bob Dominacki.
"I ran over there and tried to get in the house through the garage and the door was locked. I have a key for the breezeway door and I got that door open and it was so smokey you couldn't see anything", Dominacki said describing the rescue. "I went to the front door, it was locked, but I heard a noise behind the glass and I kicked the door open and Lisa, the neighbor lady, was laying on the floor inside the door and I got her out of the house."
"I can't even begin to express that he's a hero", said Lisa's daughter Lenee Sinnott, "and we're eternally grateful to him because if it hadn't been for him the outcome would have certainly been much different."
For the past quarter century Bob has lived next the 85 year old Showalter. About 7:30a.m. Saturday, another neighbor called Bob when she saw smoke billowing from Lisa's house. Dominacki threw on pants and then rushed into the fire barefooted to save the elderly woman.
"If Bobby hadn't been there the outcome would not have been good, there's no question about that", Lenee told us.
Today, as Lisa's house sat charred and quiet in the Fall air, the good samaritan next door downplayed his actions. Lenee can't say enough about the neighbor who risked his own life to save her mom.
"Hero. That describes Bobby. Hero", said Sinnott, adding, "Thank god for Bobby!"
