Fire Officials Praise Neighbor for Saving a Mom, Two Children From a Burning Building in Boston

Clifford Saint Jean Boston Fire Department Massachusetts Red Cross Isaac Blodgett Aguiles Romeus Boston Emergency Medical Services Boston neighbor saves family

By Camille Hutchison , Parent Herald Sep 07, 12:19 am

Firefighters commended a man for his heroic act of saving a mother and her two children from a burning building in Boston.

NBC Boston reported that a fire broke out in a residential building on Delford Street in Roslindale, Mass, over the weekend, putting the mother and her two children at risk.

Clifford Saint Jean, the Boston neighbor, woke up to the sound of the fire. He immediately grabbed a mattress lying in his backyard and positioned it under a window of the burning building. He saw the mother panicking, so he yelled at her to drop the children from the window and told her not to panic as he was there to catch them. The youngest child landed in his arms while the mother and her teenager jumped.

The mother thanked Jean for saving their family. According to the Boston Fire Department tweet, the mother and her two children were trapped on the second floor by heavy fire.

The neighbor fearlessly saved the family from the burning building

The Boston Fire Department stated that the fire displaced nine residents - five adults and four children. The Massachusetts Red Cross is now helping them find housing. The cause of the fire, with damages estimated at $1 million, is still being investigated.

Isaac Blodgett, a neighbor and one of the witnesses of the incident, said that the fire made the affected people's lives miserable, as the house was their shelter. He hoped the fire victims were okay.

Another neighbor, Aguiles Romeus, said the family was fortunate to escape the fire safely. As a mother of two herself, Romeus noted that if it was her, she would be overwhelmed as she would not only have to think of saving herself but also protecting her children.

Two firefighters sustained minor injuries from battling the blaze and were transported to an area hospital by the Boston Emergency Medical Services.

As for Jean, he was beyond happy to be of service, per TODAY. The Boston Fire Department also tweeted their appreciation of Jean's selfless act of ensuring the family was safe from the fire.

What to do if you're trapped in a house fire?

According to the National Fire Protection Association, house fires are responsible for more than 2,600 fatalities annually.

To escape a fire, run for safety and seek help. To make your way through the fire, carefully crawl beneath the smoke and avoid going through hot doors. If you can extinguish the fire, do so thoroughly, Safe Wise says.