Firefighters battle a house fire in South Williamsport on Tuesday night. MATTHEW COURTER/Sun-Gazette

A South Williamsport couple was rushed to UPMC Williamsport with severe burns they suffered in a late-night fire Tuesday at their home on Bedaro Drive, according to fire officials.

While the man reportedly got out of the home on his own, neighbor Eric Smith, a retired city fire platoon chief, is credited with rescuing the woman, according to borough Fire Chief Jeff Trammell.

“Smith entered the burning garage and heard the woman’s screams,” Trammell said.

“Smith told her ‘Follow my voice.’ She made her way to the door, and once Smith saw her, he grabbed her and pulled her out,” Trammell said he was told.

Firefighters battle a house fire in South Williamsport on Tuesday night. MATTHEW COURTER/Sun-Gazette

One victim was carried to an ambulance while the other, assisted by emergency responders, walked to a second ambulance.

The couple’s identities and their conditions at this hour were unknown, Trammell said he was told the two have since been “moved to a burn unit.” The closet such unit is at the Lehigh Valley Hospital -Cedar Crest in Allentown.

The county’s 911 center received numerous calls about the fire, which city firefighters could see as they raced into the borough across the Maynard Street bridge.

“We could see fire coming from the actual home,” city fire Platoon Chief Mark Killian said. Bedaro Drive, at the top of a short steep hill, runs from Grove to Brown streets, just off of West Southern Avenue.

Dispatchers told firefighters there was possible entrapment, but both victims were already out of the home when they arrived on the scene.

Firefighters battle a house fire in South Williamsport on Tuesday night. MATTHEW COURTER/Sun-Gazette

There was heavy fire at the front of the house as well as in the attached two-car garage and the attic.

With self-contained breathing apparatus, firefighters advanced hoses through the front door and a rear basement door, conducting a thorough search for any other possible victims.

A portion of the garage collapsed in a matter of minutes.

Also arriving on the scene were firefighters from the borough, DuBoistown, Old Lycoming Township, Loyalsock Township, Montoursville and Jersey Shore.

Due to the frigid conditions, a second-alarm was ordered, bringing additional resources from Nisbet, Nippenose Valley, Hepburn Township and Warrior Run.

Firefighters battle a house fire in South Williamsport on Tuesday night. MATTHEW COURTER/Sun-Gazette

The bulk of the fire was knocked down within about 30 minutes.

Fire investigators from the borough, the city and Cpl. Nathan Birth, a state police fire marshal, were trying to determine the origin and cause of the fire.

Borough and city firefighters returned to the scene about 9:25 a.m. Wednesday to extinguish a rekindle.

Firefighters battle a house fire in South Williamsport on Tuesday night. MATTHEW COURTER/Sun-Gazette Water run-off from firefighting efforts quickly turned to ice in the single digit temperatures, causing additional hazards for emergency crews.

Firefighters battle a house fire in South Williamsport on Tuesday night. MATTHEW COURTER/Sun-Gazette