HOME / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

'Hero' neighbor saves life of mother and her children as 'heavy' three-alarm fire engulfs their home

According to the Fire Department, an estimated loss of $1 million was incurred as a result of the fire that broke out on Friday night, September 2

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: The neighborhood of Rosindale, Boston witnessed the bravery of an unlikely hero, in the midst of the horrors of a burning building. Boston resident Clifford Saint Jean was woken up by the chaos that ensued as a result of a major three-alarm fire in his locality, and what followed was a superhuman display of courage and sensibility on his part to save the lives of those endangered by the fire.

As reported by local media outlet NBC Boston, last weekend, a major fire broke out in a residential complex on Delford Street in Rosindale, Massachusetts, putting the lives of a mother and her two children, a five-year-old and a teenager, at stake. It was their neighbor Clifford Saint Jean’s presence of mind that ensured the family’s survival on late Friday night, September 2, 2022.

READ MORE

'Fight fires not culture wars': Fire depts blasted for spending over $19K to paint engines in pride colors

Dramatic video shows firefighters rescuing man who fell 100 feet after cliff collapsed under his feet

According to the Twitter handle of the Boston Fire Department, Clifford, after being woken up to the sound of fire, "put a mattress down for them to jump as he caught the five-year-old that the mother dropped out the window to him." Clifford grabbed a mattress that lay in his backyard and positioned it right below the window of the fire-engulfed building where the mother and her children lay trapped.

Recalling his valiant deed during an interview with NBC Boston, Clifford urged the mother to drop her children down the window. "Don’t be scared [sic] I’m down there to carry them," shouted Clifford, as the youngest child jumped, and landed right into his arms. Following this, the mother and the teenager jumped too and survived unscathed.

Clifford mentioned that the mother was clearly overwhelmed with emotion, and expressed her gratitude, saying, "Thank you, you saved my life, you saved my family's life." Meanwhile, Clifford reiterated to the media outlet that he was "happy" to be of their service.

The Boston Fire Department applauded the actions of the man, tweeting, "A heroic job by the next door neighbor to save a mother and her 2 children who were trapped on the 2nd floor by heavy fire at the 3 alarm fire on Delford St. [sic]." In another tweet made by the fire department, it was revealed that nine residents of the building- five adults and four children, were the ones displaced by the calamity.

The Red Cross Society in Massachusetts is aiding displaced residents in finding housing at this urgent time. According to the Fire Department, an estimated loss of $1 million was incurred as a result of the fire.