As propane tanks exploded, homeless Sudbury, Ont., man pulls woman from burning tent

TJ Bedggood is humble about his life-saving actions Sunday evening.

Bedggood explained what happened when he got close to a fire in a tent belonging to his neighbour, who is also a friend in the Energy Court encampment.

TJ Bedggood, who lives in the encampment at Energy Court, said he didn’t think twice about saving his friend from a burning tent which was sparked by an exploding propane tank. (Alana Everson/CTV News)

"A couple of people that are from around here happen to point out that they seen smoke coming from one of the tents," he said.

"I turned back at that point and seen an eruption, a ball of flames. So I came up and slowly approached it and I could hear screaming from inside -- my friend Stephanie."

Bedggood said the entrance to the tent was engulfed in flames.

"I went down under below to avoid getting burnt myself and I could hear Stephanie and I ripped the bottom of the tarp open and I could see her and I was able to grab her arms and pull her out," he said.

"Just in time -- it was just about seconds maybe after I got her out and just, pow! I think one of the propane tanks blew up. (I) got her out of there in time."

Police and fire services said woman was treated for minor injuries.

Bedggood said he didn’t think twice about the action he took or the danger he put himself in to save his friend.

"I don’t know there was no thinking about it really," he said.

"It was what had to be done, right? I didn’t think about that. I didn’t think I was rescuing somebody. It was instinctual, it was really instinctual."

TJ Bedggood, who lives in the encampment at Energy Court, said he didn’t think twice about saving his friend from a burning tent which was sparked by an exploding propane tank. (Alana Everson/CTV News)

Bedggood said the sounds of the propane tanks exploding would be with him forever.

“Pow! The sounds were amazing it -- was like a movie," he said.

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"It was like being on the live set of a movie but it was real life."

Sudbury police said the fire started when someone started a propane tank to light a heater and shortly after lit a cigarette, causing the propane tank to explode.

Bedggood said his actions sunk in when a responding police officer told him it wasn’t a small thing he did -- someone could have died.