The good news is, after you do it once, it's easily repeatable.
The bad news is that most people who are coming in cold will be frustrated too.
If you "saved" him opening the door next to the suspended corridor rather than from the main hall of the tavern, all you have to do is attempt to talk to him from outside the door to trigger the scene where he cries his wife's name.
After that he "teleports" away from the burning room.
