Pennsylvania neighbors rescue woman from burning house
A brave Pennsylvania teenager ran toward the fire Monday night to save his neighbor who was trapped in a burning house.
Curtis Lahr, 18, is being dubbed a hero after sprinting barefoot to rescue the woman and with the help of other neighbors in Coal Township saved her life. Newswatch 16 reported.
“It was just surreal, like everything in that moment, I don’t know; I just ran I had no shoes on. I was just trying to help the lady,” Lahr told local ABC partner broadcaster.
The quick-thinking teenager grabbed a nearby ladder and handed it to neighbors, who according to the outlet placed it at the back of the house on Lott Street where the woman was trapped on the second floor.
Lahr said he could feel the searing heat of the flames as he descended the ladder and saw shards of glass “shooting” out of the house.
“The smell – it was hot. I mean, right now I wasn’t aware of how smoky and hot it was in here, but it was pretty intense being so close to the fire,” he said.
The woman, who could not be identified, was able to climb out of the second-story window and climb the ladder to safety.
She was covered in dark ash from the fire and was taken to a local hospital, but is expected to be fine, her family told Newswatch.
“She was just all black and her hair was burned,” Lahr said.
The teen’s mother, Maria Lahr, said it was a scary moment watching her son run to the fire but she was very proud of him.
“I’m glad no one was hurt. I’m very proud of him and I hope someone does it for us,” she told local broadcaster.
The woman’s family told the news outlet that the inferno started as an electrical fire in a room on the first floor.
They added that the victim will remain in the hospital for a few more days but is healthy overall. They said they were very grateful for the neighbor’s actions.
