Sentence:  But in 1998, Mr. DiFrancesco never answered the allegations against him to the satisfaction of town officials. Instead, he was <WSD>saved by the bell</WSD>, in a way: In a rare electoral upset, Democrats took control of the Township Council in November 1998. They immediately fired Mr. DiFrancesco and replaced him with a Democrat, giving his termination the appearance of simple partisan politics. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  Rescued or favorably assisted by a timely interruption or by the sudden termination of difficult circumstances.