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Hero rescues neighbors from burning home in Minersville, PA
A man rescued his neighbors from a home on fire in Minersville, PA, on Sunday, April 14. The hero, Oscar Rivera, “saved a woman and an elderly man from a burning building,” said Janeen Huth, a neighbor. (Credit: Janeen Huth via Storyful)
A Pennsylvania man is being called a hero after he bravely pulled two people from a burning building on Sunday in Minersville.
Minersville Fire and Rescue responded to a three-alarm fire on the 600 block of North Second Street at about 12:44 p.m. Authorities said the blaze torched at least four homes, the Morning Call reported.
Witness Janeen Huth said that a neighbor, Oscar Rivera, “saved a woman and an elderly man from a burning building all while risking his life as his young children stood at the door watching,” according to Storyful.
Huth came across the scene on her way home and filmed the rescue. Her video shows thick black smoke billowing from the house as Rivera pulls a man through an attic window on the roof.
Two volunteer firefighters pulled Rivera and the two residents he rescued off the roof of the burning home, Mayor Sean Palmer said. (Credit: Janeen Huth via Storyful)
Minersville Mayor Sean Palmer publicly thanked Rivera, who was the first civilian on the scene.
“He showed bravery and was able to extract a man and women from the top floor window of the burning building,” the mayor wrote on Facebook.
Palmer also thanked two volunteer firefighters, Fire Chief Mike Melochick from the Mountaineer Hose Company #1 and Luke Heffron of Minersville Fire Rescue, who went up to the roof and got Rivera and the two residents down.
“Both Mike and Luke had to go to the ER for severe smoke inhalation and I am happy to say that they are both ok. Thank you also, to our surrounding volunteer fire companies from all over the county,” the mayor wrote.
Palmer said that as many as 100-200 volunteers responded to the fire.
The cause of the fire, which damaged four homes, remains under investigation by State Police Fire Marshal Joseph Hall, according to the Morning Call.
A local chapter of the American Red Cross Greater Pennsylvania assisted at least 13 people who were displaced by the fire. They also provided refreshments to first responders on the scene, the group posted on Facebook.
