Two regular guys who say they are not heroes helped extinguish an apartment fire that injured a 76-year-old woman Friday night, authorities said.

Joseph Renfroe, 23, and William Ryals, 34, are residents of the Bradford Ridge Apartments on Cain Ridge Road, where the fire broke out shortly before 6.

Renfroe said he had just turned his truck into the parking lot after work when he saw Sara Myers, the resident of the burning apartment, standing outside the unit. He said he could tell something was wrong.

“I jumped out and ran over there, and could see smoke coming out the door,” he said. “She was hardly coherent and said somebody else was in the apartment.”

From another of the complex’s buildings, Ryals said he saw Renfroe run to assist Myers, and rushed over as well. The men found heavy smoke in the unit. They tried from both the front and back of the building to get in and ventilate some of the smoke, they said, especially since they believed a relative of Myers’ was inside, which they found later was not true.

They also got fire extinguishers from people in neighboring units.

“We took turns going inside with the fire extinguishers,” Renfroe said. “I knew if he didn’t come out, I could go in then and drag him out.”

Responding firefighters found a pile of spent extinguishers in front of the unit.

Engines, rescue trucks and ambulances from Central Fire Station, Station 8 at Halls Ferry Road and Station 2 on Indiana Avenue responded, said Asst. Fire Chief Henry Williams.

The apartment was heavily damaged, especially in the kitchen and Fire investigator Leslie Sanders said the fire likely started in a microwave oven.

“I think God probably used y’all to save Ms. Myers’ life,” Sanders told them. “Especially if she was that confused, she might have gone back in there.”

Renfroe and Ryals, who did not know each other before the fire, were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation but refused transport to the emergency room.

“I’m no hero,” said Ryals. “I don’t think I’d ever seen her before. It was just the right thing to do.”

Myers suffered burns and was taken to River Region Medical Center, where she was evaluated and transferred to University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. She was in fair condition Friday night, said hospital spokesman Bruce Coleman.

“They were each just holding their breath and going in, especially when they thought there was someone in there,” resident manager Jimmy Bowman said of Renfroe and Ryals.