A mother fought through flames to save her youngest child. Read about this and what to do if there’s a fire in the house here.
In this article, you’ll read:
- A mother runs into a burning home to save her son
- A pregnant woman was also able to escape miraculously
- Fire at home – safety and prevention tips
A mother runs into a burning house to save her son
At midnight of March 9, 2022, the sound of beeping, heavy billowing smoke and flames woke up the couple, Latoya Martin and Christie Young. Almost all of the family members were able to go out of their house and escape the fire.
Latoya and Christie were able to go out of their burning home with two of their children, including six other relatives. However, they realised that one member of the family was missing immediately. Latoya and Christie’s youngest child, Josiah — their 12-year-old son was left behind.
“We started to count them, and then we realised the youngest son was still in the house,” Christie Young said.
Latoya Martin, the child’s mother, ran back straight to their house, realising her youngest was left inside. Latoya dashed inside their home while Christie was still talking.
“My first attempt, the flames were so hot I ran back out,” said the mum.
“I tried to go in again, and I ran back out, and I say ‘Lord, I’m not going to let my child die in here, I’ll have to die with him. So I ran through the flames,” she added.
After going inside their house a few times to save her child, Latoya found Josiah inside their living room and was able to drag him outside.
According to the mother, luckily, Josiah only suffered from minor burns on one ear and arm.
Latoya Martin said,
“That was scary, that — I don’t wish that on anybody.”
“I could feel the heat on my skin, but I didn’t get burned at all,” she added.
Latoya Martin’s pregnant sister was inside their house too
Image source: iStock
Alexandria Williams, Martin’s sister, believed that what happened to her and her baby was a miracle. Her pregnancy due date was just five days after the incident occurred.
Alexandria, together with her boyfriend and the father of her child, managed to escape through a window. They were able to immediately exit the fire, barefoot, while there was still snow outside.
Alexandria remembers what happened to her,
“I thought I was going to die. Honestly, the smoke alone was enough to kill you. My throat started to close up. I started to panic.”
She was very grateful for the help she got from her boyfriend in getting out.
“It was a miracle. A miracle. Because I couldn’t see us getting out of there alive,” she added.
Fire services arrived quickly in the area and were able to check the health condition of each family member immediately. Luckily, every one of them is okay.
The whole family are very grateful for all the help and support they got from the community. They were able to receive money, clothes, and food support.
“It’s amazing to see that people [are] willing to help people like us,” said Christie Young.
What to do when there’s a fire in the house
Image source: Pexels
It is essential to know what you can do in the event of a house fire. When you know what you need to do, you may be able to save your life and that of your family.
If the fire is still small, you can thoroughly extinguish the fire. Meanwhile, run for your safety and call for help if the fire is starting to spread and get bigger. To make your way through the fire, crawl beneath the smoke. Make sure to avoid going through hot doors.
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Extinguish the fire if possible
Extinguishing the fire is only applicable if the fire has just sparked. Immediately grab the extinguisher and remember to PASS:
P – Pull the pin
A – Aim at the base of the flames
S – Squeeze the extinguisher handle
S – Sweep from side to side until the fire is extinguished
You should ensure that the fire is completely out and not still smouldering.
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Crawl beneath the flames to escape
To escape the fire, crawl to the closest exit. Staying low to the ground will help protect you from inhaling smoke and toxic gases.
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Check doors and doorknobs for heat.
Check if the door is hot. If the door or doorknob is hot or warm to touch, there could be a fire on the other side. Please do not go through it and look for an alternative route.
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Run to safety and call for help
Once you make your way outside, run away from the fire to safety. Call the emergency hotline and ask for your neighbors’ help.
Don’t hesitate to call 995 for fire and ambulance or contact your neighbourhood’s police centre in case of emergency.
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