IRONTON, OH (WOWK) — Five kids from the Ironton High School Football program jumped in to assist local firefighters as they battled a house fire in Ironton last night.
Ironton Fire Chief Michael Mahlmeister told 13 News the fire was reported in the 2100 block of South 3rd Street around 9:25 p.m. Saturday evening.
In a post on Facebook, Chris Prater, a firefighter with the Ironton Fire Department and assistant coach with the Ironton Football program, shared how the group of kids helped firefighters from the Ironton and Coal Grove Fire Departments after they stumbled onto the situation.
"In the time ive been here or the fire service in general, and now 4 years assisting the football team, I have never imagined I would walk around a burning building while things are not going well and hear 'Coach Prater, what can we do to help!?,'" Prater said in the post. "a million things are running through my head and it honestly took me a minute to even register why i was hearing those words and suddenly having a bunch of teenage boys staring at me lol."
Prater said that the building was fully engulfed when a crew of only four firefighters arrived on scene, with a second home also starting to burn. He said a hydrant connected to the front yard was dead, and there was no other water source in sight for several blocks.
"It took 3 hydrants at one point fully flowing, over 2,000 foot of supply line, and several hundred feet of attack line as we were quickly out matched. Add the fact it was freezing conditions and EVERYTHING froze up, it’s a tough task at hand," Prater said.
That's when the five kids came in to help. Fire Chief Mahlmeister said they helped drag hoses to the nearest source of water, and afterwards, they helped cleanup. They were ultimately able to save the second home with minimal damage, but the first structure was completely destroyed, resulting in the deaths of two dogs, a guinea pig and a gecko.
As for the kids, Prater said he does not normally recommend that bystanders get involved in an emergency situation.
"And with that said, all I can say is I had to remind these boys to get away from the house, help in a safe zone, and we love their help but they are in danger… at one point between two burning buildings and lord knows how much more into the fire if they werent moved to a safer area lol…but what it says about these boys toughness and willingness to help their community is amazing," he said.
Prater thanked the Coal Grove Fire Department for their assistance and covering for them while all the Ironton crews were occupied.