BUFFALO (T. J. Pignataro / Buffalo News).- Buffalo firefighters crawled into a burning Gatchell Street home Wednesday night and pulled a man to safety.

The blaze broke out at about 8:30 p.m. in the front apartment of the 1½-story home at 122 Gatchell in the city's Broadway-Bailey neighborhood. A woman who lived in the rear flat smelled smoke, called 911 and led several others to safety.

Firefighters were on scene in less than four minutes and arrived to learn that a male victim, identified then only as a John Doe, was still inside his apartment.

Fire officials today identified him as Louis M. Chichester, 33. ECMC officials did not have that name this morning, saying they had a John Doe in critical condition in the hospital's Intensive Care Burn Unit.

"There were real heavy smoke conditions and serious fire conditions throughout the structure," said fire Division Chief Scott Barry.

While crews from Ladder 14 broke down the door, Barry said, Engine 22 firefighters went in and found the man near a door.

"They crawled in and carried him out," said Barry, adding that the rescue occurred before water even hit the blaze.

"That's certainly their job, but it doesn't diminish their bravery," he added. "It was a pretty courageous rescue."

The victim was "not responsive, but he was still breathing," said Barry, who noted the victim appeared to have suffered burns and smoke inhalation. He was taken by Rural/Metro Medical Service to Erie County Medical Center.

Joyce Weber, the resident of the rear apartment who called 911, said that after she smelled smoke, she woke up her husband.

"When I called 911, I thought it was the attic on fire," she said. "[My husband] went up to the attic. When he went up there, I got everybody out."

"I went to the front (apartment) and I knocked at the door and I noticed his door was blackened," she said.

Weber said she heard the fire sirens and firefighters soon arrived on scene to pull the man to safety. He was the lone occupant of the front flat, she said. There were five residents in the rear apartment, including Weber.

Four pet birds were rescued, but the fate of three cats is unknown. The cause of the blaze was undetermined. By the time the flames were extinguished, the front of the house had been charred and the rest of the structure was substantially damaged.

The fire caused an estimated $55,000 damage, leading fire officials to request an emergency demolition. The Red Cross was called to assist five adults and one child.

Barry said the fire spread quickly and "took a little bit more of the building" while firefighters were busy focusing on rescuing the victim.

"Once we saved the man's life and got him outside, we re-evaluated what we were going to do (in attacking the fire)," Barry said.

Firefighters briefly pulled out of the building, knocked the fire down and re-entered to continue battling the blaze. They were forced to be cautious in the attic when it was learned there were unstable conditions inside.

Firefighters were able to minimize any fire exposure damage to neighboring houses on both sides of the burning building.