Five Fort Worth firefighters are being applauded for their heroic actions after saving a family of six from carbon monoxide exposure.
The firefighters say the real reason for their success may have been a quick-thinking young girl.
Lieutenant Robby Leon-Guerrero said they arrived at a home on Orleans Lane in Fort Worth unsure of what they'd find. A child had called 911 saying her mother wasn't feeling well. They'd arrive just after 8 p.m. to discover how serious it was.
“Right when we opened the door, the girl that did call 911 said 'Momma upstairs, and then she collapsed,” said Guerrero.
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Carbon monoxide had seeped into the house from a car left running inside the garage. The garage door was closed.
“Then you look to the right and there's another girl, head down, then you look upstairs and there's a little boy,” Guerrero said. “When we saw them initially, some of them, we thought they were dead. We really did.”
Knowing what CO does to you and how long you have, they didn't have long, so we made a decision to act immediately.
Fort Worth Fire Lt. Robby Leon-Guerrero
Guerrero and his crew knew time was limited. So, before grabbing extra protective equipment, they ran inside, saving a total of five children and one adult. Fort Worth fire tells NBC 5 the children ranged in age from under a year old to a child possibly in their teens.
“Knowing what CO does to you and how long you have, they didn't have long, so we made a decision to act immediately,” said Guerrero.
All six people were taken to the hospital. Fort Worth Fire Spokesperson Craig Trojacek said the outcome of this rescue truly started with the girl who made the call for help.
“If that girl wouldn't have taken the time to dial 911, we would've been having a very different story that we would be talking about today,” Trojacek said.
Ellis Wren lives nearby and saw the commotion Monday night. He said he's proud of his young neighbor.
“She needs to be commended because she probably saved everybody in that house,” said Wren.
Guerrero and other first responders were also taken to the hospital for exposure and said they felt fine the following day. As for why risked their own lives, he said it's the answer is straightforward.
“People rely on us,” he said. “If this isn't for you, you probably shouldn't be here.”
Fort Worth Fire said they do not have an update on the current conditions of the children and adult.
Trojacek said this is also a reminder for parents to have conversations with their children about talking to 911 operators in case of an emergency.
“When the people on the other end of the phone after you dial 911 need to know where your emergency is at, if your kids don’t have that, it puts us behind the curve,” Trojacek said.
