Fire thumbnail KAUZ MGN

A garbage man making the rounds on Rockford's west side helped save a woman's home and perhaps her life.

The trash collector saw smoke coming from her house at 1907 Montague Street about 8:30 Wednesday morning. He knocked on the door and alerted the woman to the fire, and she got out safely.

Fire officials say something cooking on the stove sparked the fire that nearly destroyed the kitchen. Damage estimate is about $5,000, but it could have been much worse. The garbage man who noticed the fire is a volunteer fireman in New Millford.