Tenants at Saxony Manor in Middletown are calling their super a hero after he valiantly tried to save a Vietnam veteran from an apartment fire Friday.

The super says he looked in the window of 52-year-old Richard Isley?s apartment and saw a chair had caught fire. He tried to put out the fire and rescue Isley but his efforts were in vain as the flames grew too hot. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire, which they say was kept under control by a sprinkler system.

Firefighters say the victim?s cigarette was to blame. A total of 18 apartments were damaged by the fire. The Red Cross is helping the dozens left homeless.