Houston woman fighting for her life after space heater catches fire inside home, HPD says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A Houston woman is fighting for her life tonight after her efforts to stay warm led to a tragic fire.

The fire on the 1700 block of Norlinda began shortly after 7 a.m. on Friday. Video captured by neighbors shows large flames and several small explosions coming out of the home where the woman lived.

Olivia Brooks, who identified herself as the woman's best friend, said she just saw Patty Michel the night before.

"I'm telling you, she came to get the propane. She came to my house to get the nozzle because hers were cracked," Brooks said. "And I think one of the dogs must have knocked it over."

As flames shot out of the home where Michel had lived for decades, several neighbors, including Isabel Carbajal, rushed to try and save her.

"We saw her over here on the floor, and we say, oh gosh," Carbaja said, who is captured on surveillance video trying to drag Michel to safety. "There was the fire there, and I was scared, but she wanted to go in because of the dogs."

Carbaja says when her neighbor's house initially caught on fire, Michel was able to get out, but with her beloved dogs unaccounted for, she went back in, and that's when she was severely burned.

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Brooks said Michel's adult son died of a heart attack in September, and her dogs were her closest daily companions.

"At the beginning, I see Patty right here, and I hear, 'she's going back in'," Brooks said of Michel after looking at the videos of the fires.

"She went back in for the dogs, and I can't find any anywhere."

Michel's brothers said this house has been in the family for decades, but central heat and air were never installed, so their sister used space heaters and propane tanks to cook and ward off the winter cold.

"It's expensive to central air your house," Arnold Garza, Michel's brother, said. "So, basically she couldn't afford it. And she's gone through some hard times."

Several propane tanks could be seen outside the burned home in the street gutters.

"She's a strong Christian woman, she really is. We hope she pulls through," said Michel's neighbor, with tears in her eyes.

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