NORFOLK, Va. — Being in the right place at the right time can save a life, and that is what happened on February 5 in Norfolk.
Employees with Virginia Natural Gas were working on a construction site when they noticed there was something wrong with a nearby home on the 3700 block of Wedgefield Avenue.
PREVIOUS STORY: House fire in Norfolk leaves two people injured
“There were six of us on the job site when we noticed smoke coming from a home about a block from where we were working,” said John Kearse, a Project Coordinator for VNG. “At first we thought someone was burning leaves, so we ran down to check it out and saw the house engulfed in flames.”
With the help of five additional workers from pipeline construction company Southeast Connections, the crew took fire extinguishers and rushed to assist.
They found a woman who had escaped outside the burning home, but she was yelling for help. Her mother was stuck inside.
The home was completely full of black smoke, and they could not see anything. But two workers with Southeast Connections knew they couldn't wait any longer -- so they crawled in on their knees.
“We found an 80-year-old woman lying motionless on the floor, barely conscious, and we kept asking where she was,” said Ryan Nottingham, one of the workers. “We told her we were here to help and to hang on.”
They then pulled her out of the home.
“After we were able to get her safely out of the building, we noticed her arms and legs were covered with burns, but she was thankful for us getting her out before the fire got worse,” said Emilio Amaya, the other worker. “It’s just one of those things where we were there and able to do the right thing.”
Both women were taken to the hospital to be treated for their injuries, according to the statement.
“We are very proud of the actions of our team members and those of Virginia Natural Gas,” said Daniel Murillo, the Field supervisor for SEC. “Had they not been at the right place at the right time, the outcome could have been very different. I don’t think anyone ever prepares for this or wants to put themselves in this situation. But on this day, they were all heroes.”