‘I believe it was divine intervention:’ Springfield man rescues neighbor from burning home after possible gas explosion

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) – Ronnie Sisti was picking tomatoes from his garden Tuesday morning when he heard a loud boom: an explosion coming from a home across the street. The Springfield Fire Department put out the fire at the home on East Enos Avenue and North Dirksen Parkway after a possible gas explosion.

“The whole front was blown off of it and the roof was blown backwards and off the top of the house,” Sisti said.

One neighborhood, five fires: Rantoul Fire Department investigates possible connection

He looked over and saw his neighbor John sitting inside the burning building near the window. Sisti was yelling at him to get out of the house but John wasn’t moving so he made his way towards him.

“He was kind of just sitting there and I couldn’t understand, ‘Why aren’t you moving,’” Sisti said.

Sisti jumped into action when he noticed John was in a wheelchair pulling him out through the window and rolling him into a ditch.

“There were several other neighbors that came to assist,” Sisti said. “I’m very proud of my neighborhood for everyone the way they came to help this gentleman out.”

Monticello police officer arrested for child pornography

That’s when Sisti said a second explosion engulfed the house in flames. Officials say there were two men in the house when the explosion happened: John who lived there, and a repair man. He was working on a water heater at the time. Sisti said the man came out of the house on his own.

“He was visibly shaken and burned severely,” Sisti said.

Both John and the other man were taken to the hospital. Later in the day, Sisti had a chance to talk to John’s stepdaughter.

“To know that he’s doing good, it means a lot to me,” Sisti said. “I was concerned for him as well as the second gentleman.”

And after his life saving efforts, Sisti said he doesn’t consider himself a hero.

“I consider myself an instrument of God,” Sisti said. “He put me here and I believe it was divine intervention.”

John’s stepdaughter told WCIA he is doing ok but that he did suffer some burns. John also had a cat that was in the home at the time of the explosion. The cat is doing ok and was taken to animal control to get checked.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.