Firefighters rescue 600-pound man from Fremont house fire

FREMONT, Calif. (KGO) -- Fremont investigators are trying to determine the cause of a house fire Tuesday morning that required a dramatic rescue.

Sky7 HD was over the scene after firefighters saved a 600-pound immobile man who had not left his home in years.

When paramedics arrived after the fire, they took the man inside for a few hours so they determine where to stay for the next couple of days because firefighters did not say whether it is safe to live in the home.

A garage fire doesn't usually require a rescue, but firefighters came across an unusual situation when a house on Hughes Place was filling up with smoke and the homeowner could not get out of his bed.

In fact, Alan Calles, 64, hadn't been out of his bed in four years. "A large patient, 600 pounds plus, so it literally took two crews to get him out. They actually abandoned firefighting just to get him out, so we put him in a large tarp so they could get him out. That size is difficult for us. It took six firefighters to pull him out," Fremont Fire Department Battalion Chief Richard Dickinson said.

Calles said there was no way he could have walked out, so firefighters saved his life.

Firefighters rescued Calles and then got right to work on the fire in the garage, keeping the flames from spreading inside the home.

Calles, his fiance, and their dog were not injured.

Firefighters said no one should stay at the home until they are certain it's safe and the utilities are turned back on.

Firefighters admit this is a unique situation and allowed Calles to go back inside to to his bed until the Red Cross was able to book a room at a local hotel. "I'm alright you know, like I said you know, just trying to cope with I like being in my home," Calles said.