VIDEO: Retired St. Therese Priest Rescued From Blazing Balcony

The Shelby Township Fire Department rescued St. Therese of Lisieux Priest Leonard Sypinski from his burning third-floor apartment building Saturday during a fire at the Shelby Manor Senior Apartments.

The retired priest was trapped on his balcony when firefighters arrived just before 8 a.m.

Sypinksi said he tried to escape the burning building from the front door, but the roof had collapsed and the halls were flooded.

"I just put myself in God's hands," he said.

When firefighters arrived, they calmed the panicked priest, who was on his balcony.

"I was scared to death, but they told me to relax," he said.

Firefighters pulled the handicap priest over the balcony railing and into a bucket, where they safely lowered him to the ground.

"They saved my life. I was lucky," he said.

Sypinsk's apartment was lost in the fire. He said he has 3,000 church family members that he can rely on for help.

For information on Father Spyinski, call St. Therese of Lisieux 586-254-4433.

To read more about the Saturday morning fire, click here.