NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) – Two local Verizon technicians saved a family and their dog from a house fire in Newport News.
“You never know what you are going to run into, but I never thought I would run into this situation,” said Verizon technician Nick Christian.
Christian and Chris Leonard went from upgrading customers’ internet to getting a family out of their burning home.
Leonard said he was finishing up the job when he noticed smoke coming from the porch of a nearby home.
“I was getting ready to leave and I noticed some smoke coming from around that post on the porch,” he said.
He called Christian over and the pair collected water bottles form their cars.
“We came back and started pouring water around it, but once we did that, it kind of put the fire out there. Then, we noticed up toward the roof more and more smoke coming out,” Leonard said.
He grabbed a garden hose and sprayed the house.
Christian hatched a plan to get the family inside out.
“Somebody has got to be home,” Christian said. “I saw a light through the front window. I am banging and banging and banging and no one is coming.”
He kept banging and called 911.
Moments later, the family unlocked the door.
“I am like, ‘Hey, sir, you got to get out of the house. Your house is on fire,'” Christian said.
The technicians helped get three adults, a small child and a dog to safety.
Not long after, the Newport News Fire Department took over. The crew put out the fire.
Leonard said the fire department credits their quick thinking.
“The fire department said five more minutes,” he said, “and the whole house would have been up in flames.”
