2 Children Rescued From Burning Home In Md.
CLINTON, Md. (WJZ) -- A dramatic 911 call from a 13-year-old boy trapped in a house fire in Prince George's County.
Amy Yensi has more on why the boy is being called a hero.
Not only did the boy stay remarkably calm, but he kept his young sister safe and gave enough detail to help firefighters in their rescue.
The location: Clinton. The caller: Marcus, a 13-year-old boy trapped in a second floor bedroom with his nine-year-old sister.
Through the growing smoke and flames, Marcus puts what kids are taught "just in case" in motion.
Emergency operator Kristen Ritter gets the call.
"Once he told me that his house was very smokey, I immediately knew that I had to get him to safety," she said.
Ritter: "When the firefighters come in the house, how do they get to your room? Marcus?"
Marcus: "I called people already."
As the fire burns on the first floor, Marcus shouts out to his parents, telling them to get out of the home at 9606 Small Drive.
"They truly saved lives."
Prince George's County firefighters find the two children alive, thanks to Marcus' exact description.
Marcus: "Come here, Aliyah. Stay right here."
Ritter: "You're doing a great job, OK?"
Marcus had covered the gap in the doorway, like the operator told him to.
"Pretty stressful situation," said Lt. Kenneth Ward, Prince George's County Fire Department.
Veteran firefighter Lt. Ward grabs Marcus first, and then...
"Actually, I felt something on my boot and then I felt somebody tug," said Ward.
Ritter says the brave boy is the real hero in the rescue.
"He did wonderful. Everything that he gave us helped save him and his little sister's life," said Ritter.
Three adults did escape the fire on their own. They suffered minor injuries. Both Marcus and his little sister are in stable condition.
Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the fire, but say a smoke detector downstairs had no batteries in it.
