Jeannette neighbor rescues 2 children and mom from fire that killed 5 people
JEANNETTE, Pa. (KDKA) -- A Westmoreland County community is in mourning after a house fire killed a father and four children early Wednesday morning.
A total of eight people were inside when it started, and the Jeannette fire chief said three of them got out thanks to the help of a brave neighbor who ran towards the flames.
Jack Mull is still processing what happened to his neighbors when he stepped outside and saw the front porch of the home next door up in flames.
"They're just good people. It's a shame, that family will never be the same again," Mull said.
It was around midnight on Guy Street by Harrison.
"I screamed at my daughter to call 911," Mull said.
He ran over and tried to get into the basement, but it was too hot, and the fire was spreading quickly.
"You could see in the window, the flames were like walking and they were just like going straight back through the house and it just moved upstairs," Mull said.
He raced to his backyard to grab a ladder. By the time he got back, he saw the mother on the back roof of the home with a baby.
"One officer went up the ladder with me, no hesitation at all," Mull said.
They were able to carry that baby down, but he was having trouble breathing.
"I shook [him] a little bit and [he] started gasping for air, and they took [him] and then they life flighted [him]," Mull said.
They also rescued the mom, and a little boy with a broken leg.
"The mother tried again, and she got burnt," Mull said. "I mean, it was her kids in there, you know, they're very good parents and they love their kids."
Now Mull wonders how the family is going to cope. He said some of the kids were fosters, and their parents were with them all the time.
"It's just a bad, bad situation," Mull said.
Hours later, he doesn't think twice about putting his life at risk.
"I knew the kids were there, so if you can get a kid out, I mean, who wouldn't?" Mull said.
He just wishes he could have done more.
"I've got my grandkids living with me and I just couldn't even imagine, couldn't imagine this," Mull said.