ATLANTA - Authorities say Atlanta firefighters and a police officer worked together to rescue a 300-pound man from a burning home, saving his life.

Flames were already shooting out the front door of the southeast Atlanta rooming house when firefighters arrived shortly before 6:30 a.m.

Fire Capt. James Dycus tells WSB-TV (http://bit.ly/qCzcRT) he heard a man inside, trapped upstairs behind the flames, screaming for help.

Firefighters say they brought a ladder to the window, broke out the glass and removed an air conditioning unit to get at the man. Sgt. Rusty Glenn climbed the ladder and carried the man down the ladder with help from Atlanta police Sgt. Thomas Young.

Atlanta fire Battalion Chief Todd Edwards says the blaze may have started as a cooking fire that grew out of control.