Current:Home > InvestNeighbor risks life to save man, woman from house fire in Pennsylvania: Watch heroic act -WealthX
Neighbor risks life to save man, woman from house fire in Pennsylvania: Watch heroic act
Surpassing Quant Think Tank Center View
Date:2025-04-09 17:41:54
In a dramatic rescue, a brave neighbor is seen pulling residents out of a Pennsylvania home that became engulfed by black smoke.
In the video from the incident on April 14, you can hear on lookers yelling for one of the men to get out of the Minersville home, 100 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Firefighters below can be seen hastily getting their equipment ready to bring the man to safety, according to Storyful.
“Come on! Come on! Come on!” yelled Janeen Huth, a passerby who recorded the heroic scene as she was on her way home. “Come on buddy, get out!”
People in the street are heard yelling for the man to get out of the house through the top floor window.
The brave citizen, identified as Oscar Rivera, pulled the man from the window while balancing himself on the roof.
“Grab his pants!” Huth said.
Rivera then pulled the man through the window. People that were watching in the street clapped and cheered for the man’s rescue. A firefighter is then seen climbing up a ladder to bring the man and woman, that were already on the roof, to safety.
In a split second, the smoke gained more momentum and got thicker, making it hard to see the three people on the roof.
“Come on get them down!” Huth said. “Just move her over!”
A firefighter was able to get all three of the people from the roof and to safety.
Huth told Storyful that Rivera saved the woman and elderly man as his children witnessed their father’s heroic event unfold.
Fire destroys:Copenhagen's historic Old Stock Exchange as residents race to save treasures
Minersville Mayor thanked brave neighbor and others for springing into action
In a Facebook post, Minersville Mayor Sean Palmer thanked Oscar Rivera for helping to bring his neighbors to safety.
“First of all I would like to publicly thank the individuals who sprung into action to save those two individuals,” Palmer wrote in the post. “Mr. Rivera was a civilian who was first on the scene. He showed bravery and was able to extract a man and women from the top floor window of the burning building.”
Palmer then thanked the firefighters who helped during the rescue.
“I would also like to recognize the two volunteer fire fighters who went up ladders to the top floor to get them all down,” Palmer said. “Fire Chief Mike Melochick from the Mountaineer Hose Company #1 and volunteer fire fighter Luke Heffron from Minersville Fire Rescue. These two volunteer fire fighters went up the ladder to get all three of them off the roof and out of harms way.”
Palmer said that both firefighters were treated for severe smoke inhalation but are expected to be okay.
Red Cross says multiple people were displaced because of the fire
The Red Cross Pennsylvania Rivers Chapter helped the families that were impacted by the fire.
"Our Pennsylvania Rivers Chapter did respond and provided support to the 19 people impacted by this fire," Stephanie Fox, media relations lead for the American Red Cross National Headquarters told USA TODAY. "Support provided included immediate assistance and caseworker assessment of each families situation and what individual needs they may have."
Fox said 15 adults and four children were helped by the Pennsylvania Chapter.
Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on the National Trending Team at USA TODAY. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lottery and public policy stories. Email her at [email protected]. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and X @forbesfineest.
veryGood! (89595)
Related
- Former Syrian official arrested in California who oversaw prison charged with torture
- Don't Miss Out on J. Crew's Sale with up to 60% off Chic Basics & Timeless Staples
- Olympic skater under investigation for alleged sexual assault missing Canadian nationals
- NRA lawyer says gun rights group is defendant and victim at civil trial over leader’s big spending
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Hi Hi!
- The Pope wants surrogacy banned. Here's why one advocate says that's misguided
- Northeast seeing heavy rain and winds as storms that walloped much of US roll through region
- 'A sense of relief:' Victims' families get justice as police identify VA. man in 80s slayings
- Small twin
- Ad targeting gets into your medical file
Ranking
- Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time
- Storms hit South with tornadoes, dump heavy snow in Midwest
- NASA delays first Artemis astronaut flight to late 2025, moon landing to 2026
- Walmart experiments with AI to enhance customers’ shopping experiences
- In ‘Nickel Boys,’ striving for a new way to see
- When are the Emmy Awards? What to know about the host, 2024 nominees and predicted winners
- More women join challenge to Tennessee’s abortion ban law
- Researchers find a massive number of plastic particles in bottled water
Recommendation
Meta donates $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund
Northeast seeing heavy rain and winds as storms that walloped much of US roll through region
Ford recalls 130,000 vehicles for increased risk of crash: Here's which models are affected
Blizzard knocks out power and closes highways and ski resorts in Oregon and Washington
'As foretold in the prophecy': Elon Musk and internet react as Tesla stock hits $420 all
Astrobotic says its Peregrine lunar lander won't make planned soft landing on the moon due to propellant leak
This Amika Hair Mask Is So Good My Brother Steals It From Me
When and where stargazers can see the full moon, meteor showers and eclipses in 2024