A neighbor is credited with saving the life of a man and his young child after a fire began engulfing their home in Zeigler early Sunday morning.
The Zeigler Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire at 126 Oak Street just after midnight on Sunday.
Firefighters found an outside wooden deck area of the home engulfed in flames and the fire was rapidly spreading into the structure.
They also learned next door neighbor Sheri Slomka alerted the residents inside of the fire and they had safely exited the home.
According to the man inside the residence, he and his three year old son were fast asleep in the home when Slomka alerted them. Smoke alarms were present in the structure, but had not yet activated because the flame were just outside of the structure.
Firefighters declared the blaze was under control about fifteen minutes after the first engine company arrived on scene.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
