AURORA | Fast thinking and action by three Aurora boys out for a scooter jaunt Saturday evening probably saved a house from extensive fire damage, and maybe even lives, Aurora Fire and Rescue officials said.
Micah Hassoun, 13, and his two pals, Charlie and Sam Vaughan, who all live in the Mission Viejo neighborhood, were out along Joplin Street on their scooters at about 5:30 p.m. when they noticed smoke and fire coming from the side of a house.
“Micah dropped his scooter and started running and screaming for help,” his mother, Denise Hassoun told the Sentinel. “He found a neighbor out walking his dog who immediately called 911.”
The fast action and the call brought firefighters to the house within minutes, Aurora Fire and Rescue spokesperson Eric Hurst.
“When firefighters from Station 6 arrived they found a privacy fence on fire with some damage to the adjacent siding on the home,” Hurst said Monday. “The fire was quickly extinguished and the damage was likely much less than it could have been if witnesses hadn’t called 911 as soon as they did.”
It was unclear who was inside the house at the time, but fire officials said such blazes can be extremely dangerous because they build quickly and before anyone inside a home is aware of a blaze.
“Outside fires that spread to homes are often the most damaging because the people inside usually don’t know there’s a fire,” Hurst said. “Since smoke alarms only detect conditions inside, an outside fire usually has to break glass, or witnesses have to alert the occupants.”
Denise said she was immensely proud of her son and his friends, thinking and acting fast.
The Vaughans’ father, Chuck, agreed.
“You always want to know your kids are going to do the right thing, and they did,” Chuck said.”Micah was outstanding.”
Hurst said minutes and even seconds can make a difference in saving lives and property.
“Early discovery by observant community members young and old can absolutely make a big difference in the outcome,” Hurst said, “as it sounds like that may have occurred Saturday.”
The cause of the blaze is so far undetermined.
Bravo Micah, Charlie and Sam! Thank you.
Time for them to have their own cell phones.
Hope thathe cause is found and publicized.