Woman jumps into action to help residents during fire

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - A good Samaritan jumped in to help after a metro rehabilitation center caught on fire early Wednesday morning. 

"When I got out here I'm like ‘dang’ the back of the building on fire!” said Breana Coleman. 

Around 1:45 a.m., Coleman could see the flames coming from the Catalyst Behavioral Services facility, near NE 16th St. and N Lottie Ave. 

“The wind was blowing and then the fire was like up up. Like it was about to start spreading through the building,” said Coleman. “All I could think about is everybody."

So Coleman quickly sprang into action, frantically trying to get an employee’s attention. 

"I was like, I'm finna to beat on this door until somebody comes and answers this door,” said Coleman. 

Thankfully, someone finally did. 

"I just told him "Hey, can I please help you, like get all these people out of the building, like the building is on fire,” said Coleman. “He pressed the alarm and was like ‘yes’. I just helped him walk every hall, like ‘hey, hey’ and all the way to the last hall. And then the last person, we all walked out together and that was it."

Crews told KFOR the fire started in the facility’s kitchen. 

"We had heavy fire you could see from the exterior,” said Battalion Chief Kyle Durham, with OKCFD. "It was mostly contained to the kitchen area, the kitchen and eating area of the facility." 

Fortunately firefighters quickly extinguished the flames. Both their and Coleman’s efforts paid off, as all of the facility’s residents made it out safely. 

 "I was loud, I was very very loud, I probably disturbed their peace,” said Coleman. “But listen it meant, I saved a lot of lives. And I love it, I'm a nurse."

The fire chief said the damage to the building is likely around $20,000 to $25,000.