A door-to-door salesman selling home fire alarms noticed smoke coming from a Texas home, heard a woman screaming and broke a window to rescue her.

Kaeriel Evans, 18, who has Down syndrome, was inside by herself when the blaze started in the 1600 block of Homestead Place, Garland, near Dallas, at about 6 p.m.

"I heard this lady yelling, 'Help, help,'" said Corey Anderson, of Rowlett. "I looked down and saw the smoke so I took off running, and -- reaction -- I just started kicking in the windows."

He tried to find her but couldn't at first.

"As far as I went in, I couldn't see nothing," Anderson said. "It was just smoke."

Then, he heard her voice again.

"I heard somebody say, 'Help me, help me,' so I pushed over an entertainment center and kind of went in there and saw the girl and I told her, 'Drop down and come to me.' And she did. And I got her out."

'He's a hero'
Anderson sells home security systems that include fire alarms, he said. He hadn't yet made it to her house when he saw the smoke and flames.

Evans was transported to Parkland Memorial Hospital with smoke inhalation and minor burns but was expected to recover.

Soon, Evans' brother arrived home. "When I saw the house burned up, that's the first thing I asked about -- where is my sister?" Kavaucey Lewis said.

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Lewis, 20, said he lives in the house with five siblings and their mother.

He quickly learned about her rescue and thanked Anderson.

"I just told him how much I appreciate it because my sister is my heart," he said.

Anderson was humble about what he had done.

"I'm glad I was here and could help," he said. "I really do wish if that was my family, somebody would do the same thing."

Evans said he couldn't thank Anderson enough.

"He went in there and, you know, he's a hero," Evans said. "He went above and beyond."

Anderson said the word "hero" doesn't fit.

"I don't feel like a hero," he said. "I just feel like, I mean, it was reaction. At the time, I just went with my instincts."

Firefighters are investigating how the fire started.

A Texas police officer who fired 41 shots at a chase suspect in August has been fired.

The Garland Police Department confirmed that it fired Officer Patrick Tuter after an internal investigation into the Aug. 12, 2012, shooting.

Michael Allen, 25, was shot and killed after a high-speed chase that began in Garland and ended in Mesquite, Texas. Allen was wanted on suspicion of eluding police in Sasche a few days earlier.

Garland police spokesman Officer Joe Harn said Tuter violated the department's general order of use of force and its pursuit protocol.

The department at first said that Tuter opened fire in fear of his life, but dashboard camera video raised concerns after it showed that Tuter had rammed Allen's truck and fired 41 shots after he cornered Allen. Tuter reloaded twice, police said.

"He did not deserve the death sentence," said Allen's mother, Stephanie Allen. "Patrick Tuter was not judge and jury, and that's what he made himself out to be."

Allen's father, Randy Allen, said he is glad the department finally acted on the matter because he doesn't want any other families to feel what he, his wife and his son's 4-year-old daughter feel every day.

"Maybe the streets are safer now," he said.

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The Allens have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Tuter, seeking damages in their son's death.

The lawsuit says that Michael Allen did not have a weapon and did not pose a threat to officers. The lawsuit also says that Tuter's use of force was excessive.

"That's what tears me up -- that they weren't only just excessive, it was excessive on top of excessive," Randy Allen said.

'Justified'
The Allens said their son should not have run from police but also know that nothing can bring him back.

Tuter's attorney said his client does not agree with the department's decision to fire him and will appeal.

"The indefinite suspension was based upon alleged violations of the Garland Police Department's internal, administrative policies," the attorney said in a statement. "However, Officer Tuter's actions were justified under this state's penal code, and the indefinite suspension will be appealed under state civil service law."

Snatch-and-grab thieves stole about $19,000 worth of watches from a department store in just 13 seconds, police said.

Surveillance video shows the three thieves in action at the Macy's at Firewheel Town Center in Garland, Texas, on Nov. 5.

Investigators said they believe the thieves had been casing the store. The three watch carousels were chained to a display counter, but the thieves were strong enough to rip them off and take off running, police said.

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"These people knew what they were doing," Garland police spokesman Officer Joe Harn said. "They had been in and knew what they were going to do. They were in and out very quickly."

Witnesses said the trio fled in a green sedan that was followed closely by a white pickup truck.