Current:Home > MarketsNeighbor risks life to save man, woman from house fire in Pennsylvania: Watch heroic act -VisionFunds
Neighbor risks life to save man, woman from house fire in Pennsylvania: Watch heroic act
View
Date:2025-04-16 01:44:32
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 aforbes@gannett.com. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and X @forbesfineest.
veryGood! (6916)
Related
- New data highlights 'achievement gap' for students in the US
- Over 100,000 in Texas without power due to severe thunderstorms, tornadoes: See map
- Killer whales keep ramming and sinking boats. Scientists now may know why, report says.
- The 77 Best Memorial Day 2024 Fashion Deals: J.Crew, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Michael Kors, Gap & More
- Rylee Arnold Shares a Long
- Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets won't play vs. Vancouver Saturday
- New Mexico officials warn of health effects from rising temperatures
- NCAA men's lacrosse tournament semifinals preview: Can someone knock off Notre Dame?
- Nevada attorney general revives 2020 fake electors case
- Coast Guard suspends search for two French sailors after cargo schooner sinks
Ranking
- A Mississippi company is sentenced for mislabeling cheap seafood as premium local fish
- Caitlin Clark makes LA debut: How to watch Indiana Fever vs. Los Angeles Sparks on Friday
- See memorials in Uvalde and across Texas that honor victims of Robb Elementary shooting
- Legendary U.S. World War II submarine located 3,000 feet underwater off the Philippines
- Moving abroad can be expensive: These 5 countries will 'pay' you to move there
- Stock market today: Asian shares track Wall Street’s slide on worries over interest rates
- Man charged with murder in fatal shooting at Pennsylvania linen company
- Biden campaign releases ad slamming Trump on gun control 2 years after Uvalde school shooting
Recommendation
Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
Why King Charles III, Prince William and the Royal Family Are Postponing Public Engagements
Watch Party: Thrill to 'Mad Max' movie 'Furiosa,' get freaky with streaming show 'Evil'
Memorial Day 2024: Score food deals at Hooters, Krispy Kreme, Smoothie King and more
House passes bill to add 66 new federal judgeships, but prospects murky after Biden veto threat
Catholic church in downtown Madison catches fire following storms
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, The Wi-Fi Is Down
Case dismissed against Maryland couple accused of patient privacy violations to help Russia