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48 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, January 27, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Opportunities Moving to Southern Oregon? MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend January 5, 2005 Woman leaps to escape second-story fire By JACK MORAN Mail Tribune A woman clung to life Tuesday at a Medford hospital after escaping a burning apartment by jumping into her neighbors’ arms from a second-story bedroom window. Margaret Rose Wilson, 42, of Medford, was listed in critical condition at Rogue Valley Medical Center, a nursing supervisor said. Wilson was rushed to the hospital early Tuesday after a fire broke out inside a duplex in the 3900 block of Arrowhead Drive in Medford. Wilson might have died at her home if not for next-door neighbor Matthew Watkins, who was awakened at about 1:45 a.m. to the sound of a beeping smoke detector, said Fire Inspector Debi Bisbee of the Medford Fire Department. Watkins said he heard Wilson crying out for help, and looked outside to see the woman at her second-floor bedroom window. He awoke co-worker Jeff Trouslet, and the duo ran outside to rescue Watkins. Advertisement "There were flames and a bunch of smoke right behind her, so we were just yelling at her to jump," Watkins said. "Once we got out there, it was a no-brainer. I knew that a broken arm or leg would be better for her than just staying up there." But Trouslet, a visitor who was sleeping on a downstairs couch when Watkins awoke him to help, said Wilson seemed hesitant to put her life in their hands. "It was like talking a cat down from a tree," he said. "We had to convince her to jump, and when she finally did, she did this sort of swan dive into our arms." After carrying her into Watkins’ apartment, the men realized Wilson had lost consciousness and was barely breathing. Bisbee said Wilson had inhaled an extreme amount of smoke before jumping from her apartment. Medford firefighter Chuck Glose, a paramedic, arrived at the scene with a fire crew and was able to clear an airway for Wilson to help her breathe better. Bisbee said a doctor at RVMC said Glose’s quick work probably saved Wilson’s life. Additional fire crews went to the duplex and were able to contain the fire to the upper-floor bedroom area. Wilson was the only person inside her apartment when the fire started, Bisbee said. Medford fire and police investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire. Bisbee said Wilson is a smoker who kept candles in the bedroom. The rescue would not have been possible had Wilson’s apartment lacked a working smoke detector, which alerted her neighbors to the fire, Bisbee said. Reach reporter Jack Moran at 776-4459, or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers