Grandfather badly hurt saving family from fire

Alex Clinton, a 64-year-old Poplar Bluff father and grandfather, is in the burn unit at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis with burns on 20% of his body. He was rescued from his home at 717 S. C St. about 2 a.m. Wednesday by Poplar Bluff firefighters.

“My husband sacrificed himself to get us out,” said his wife, Christy Clinton, 46. “He was yelling get out, get out of the house. He made sure we all got out, we got help. I was the last after the girls to get out. I got stuck. He collapsed in the house.”

When Poplar Bluff firefighters arrived, they were advised by Poplar Bluff police someone was trapped in a front bedroom. Firefighters were unable to go in through either entrance to the structure due to heavy fire. They used a chain saw and an ax to breach the wall to gain entry to the room where the victim was trapped.

Emergency medical services on the scene started CPR on Alex Clinton and transported him to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, where he was stabilized and transported by Air Evac Life Team to the St. Louis medical center, according to reports.

Christy Clinton recalls, EMS “did CPR all the way to the hospital. When he got there, he had a heartbeat. They got him stabilized. He is sedated and he is in the burn unit.”

She said, “all I heard was my husband say ‘get out, get out of the house.’ By the time I got my granddaughter, he was already pushing us through the house and out the window. You couldn’t see anything - it was terrible. We don’t know really what happened because the room he collapsed in, there was no fire there.

“So we’re thinking he woke up, he knew there was a fire and maybe tried to get to one or both doors, which is where the fire was, and he got burned trying to make an exit for us.”

Christy, daughter Jude and granddaughter Laurie were taken to PBRMC.

She said, “I have a separated shoulder as far as I know, nothing’s broke. My legs got really badly scraped and bruised really, really bad, but I am OK.”

The three females were treated for smoke inhalation. The girls, 18 and 4, have a few scrapes and bruises on the legs, Christy Clinton said.

Christy Clinton, who formerly worked for Haven House, recently joined the Poplar Bluff Housing Authority staff. Her husband is a captain at the Southeast Correctional Center in Charleston.

Fighting back tears, Christy Clinton said, “the firefighters all came to the hospital. They were very gracious. When we told them we thought our phones were in part of the bedroom that didn’t burn, they came back to the house and found them for us and brought them back. I just want to thank the firefighters, police officers and emergency workers. I’m grateful for everybody. Please say again in the paper thank you to all the emergency responders for being so gracious.”

Emergency crews spent about two hours on the scene.

Firefighters from the three stations responded and used 2,000 gallon of water. Additional personnel were called back to the scene to aid with salvage and overhaul operations. One firefighter was feeling dizzy and was given IV fluids before returning to duty, according to reports. A total of 13 firefighters worked the scene.

The fire is currently under investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s office and the Poplar Bluff Police Department.

Four of the family’s vehicles were damaged by being parked close to the structure fire. Arrangements are being made by friends to organize fundraising efforts to help the family. Donations may be taken to Back Forty Market, near Johnny’s Homestyle Buffet in the 4800 block West Boulevard.