Nov 12, 2009 5:33 pm US/Eastern
Fast Thinking Teen Saves Neighbor From Fire
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) ―
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A middle schooler from Anne Arundel County is being credited with saving his neighbor's life by waking her when he saw her house was on fire.
CBS
A middle schooler from Anne Arundel County is being credited with saving his neighbor's life by waking her when he saw her house was on fire.
Suzanne Collins report the fire department is nominating the eighth grader for a civilian heroes award.
Firefighters say Jake Bassford, 13, probably saved his neighbor's life.
They say he noticed her house was on fire Monday when getting off the school bus. He did everything to wake Susan Hack because he knew she was ill in bed.
"I smelled something, and I looked over at my friend's house, and I saw brown smoke coming from it. I was like nay, it can't be fire," said Jake Bassford.
The eighth grader tried knocking, even bashing in the doors, but it didn't work. He broke a broomstick on a window, then raced to another side to see if he could get closer to Hack's bedroom window.
Scaling the air conditioner unit did the trick, and he was able to lean in a window over her bed.
"I started yelling. It took me three or four times to get a response, and she was like, 'What? What's going on?' I told her a fire and get out of the house," said Bassford.
The fire department has nominated Jake for an award.
"The Citizens Commendation Award is usually given for people who display some type of heroic action. In this case, that's exactly what happened in Mr. Bassford. He was able to arouse a citizen and keep her from perishing in the fire," said Chief Michael Cox.
The fire department says entering a burning building is never smart, but what Jake did to alert his neighbor is great. His mother is most proud.
"He's very much like that. He's very responsible," said Cara Bassford.
Jake's quick actions also preserved another life, that of the family's dog, Mikey. The dog is being cared for at a local veterinarian's office.
Mikey was burned over 20 percent of his body, but doctors now say they are optimistic he'll recover.
"We are very concerned, very much about the dog at this point. There's a fund at Rocky Gorge Animal Hospital to do everything to save him," said Cara Bassford.
Donations can be made to the animal hospital's Helping Paws Fund which is being used to help the dog.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Link To Rocky Gorge Animal Hospital
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