Late on a chilly Minnesota night, beloved soul singer Alexander O’Neal and his wife Cynthia O’Neal faced a terrifying ordeal fire broke out in their Burnsville apartment, forcing them to flee for their lives. Just hours earlier, Alexander had returned home from a nearly two-week stay in intensive care yet the calm relief wouldn’t last. In the early hours of December 5, the couple found themselves battling smoke, flames, and the uncertain aftermath of devastation.When fire crews arrived at the third-floor unit of the Willoway Apartments, the blaze had already spread. Two people Alexander and Cynthia O’Neal were rushed to hospital by ambulance. Their home would soon be declared uninhabitable, along with three others in the building.Who Is Cynthia O’Neal and What Happened That NightCynthia O'Neal isn't just Alexander’s wife she’s also his manager. That night, she was jolted awake by Alexander waving his arms, alerting her to a fire erupting near his oxygen machine. According to Cynthia O’Neal, a “bubble of fire” appeared along the oxygen cord, and a second blaze ignited on the floor. Alexander tried to stomp it out with his bare foot suffering burns but the flames raced forward and spread to the mattress. Realizing they had no time left, the couple fled down three flights of stairs, smoke filling the air around them.Earlier that day, Alexander had been discharged from hospital after treatment for a rare bacterial pneumonia and an enlarged heart; during that previous stay he was even on life support. That fragile health made the escape especially harrowing.When firefighters finally got the fire under control, four apartments including theirs were condemned as uninhabitable. Cynthia later returned to retrieve Alexander’s medications and found the damage absolute: melted medicine bottles, ankle-deep water, and a home destroyed beyond recognition.Cynthia, though shaken, remained grateful they survived. “We are so happy to be alive” she told reporters. “We may not have a toothbrush, but we have a car.” Her resolve carried through even as the couple regrouped with family members to plan their next steps.That night was a frightening turn for Cynthia and Alexander but Cynthia’s quick thinking and calm presence helped them survive. Though their home is gone and the cause of the fire remains under investigation, the couple’s priority now is healing and rebuilding.