Joshua Tree, Calif. woman rescued after falling asleep while smoking

Firefighters rescued a woman from her home in Joshua Tree early Monday morning after she fell asleep while smoking a cigarette, according to authorities.Apparently, the burning cigarette caused the elderly woman’s mattress to catch fire. The woman and a man left the house when they realized what was happening. However, the woman decided to re-enter the burning house in an attempt to save her dog, cat, and other items. She became overwhelmed by the smoke and could not escape.