Heroes of the Week: Family in Burning House saved by drivers passing by

This week's heroes are drivers who happened to see a house on fire and had the care to pull over and call 911. It happened in Maine in August. Here's the story from WGME-TV.

(Photo: Fire in house on Gebung Road, Alfred, Maine on August 12, 2023. Credit: WMTW-TV)

Family in Alfred saved by drivers passing by after their house catches fire

by Owen Kingsley, WGME Sat, August 12th 2023

ALFRED, Maine (WGME) - A family was saved by drivers passing by when their Alfred home caught fire. Alfred fire officials say around 4:30 p.m. they got calls from people driving by 280 Gebung Road for a house fire.

Officials say the same people who called 911 alerted the family inside the home to get out.

When crews arrived, they found flames coming from a large garage that were spreading into the house. Alfred's Deputy Fire Chief says dozens of departments responded to the home and were able to put out the fire quickly. He says they were challenged by the house being so large, a lack of water. They had to call in water tankers from nearby towns, and even pumped it in from a pond down the road.

VIDEO REPORT: https://www.wmtw.com/article/crews-respond-to-fire-in-alfred/44800626

“We had a garage that was typically the size of what we would consider a normal ranch house to start. Going into a house that’s two times the size of a normal house. That requires a fair amount of man power. And of course, water, our nearest hydrant was in neighboring Sanford on this road, and we have a pond down the road. So, we have to travel that water to the scene," said Jarrett Clarke, Alfred Deputy Fire Chief.

No one was injured, and the Red Cross is helping the family. The Fire Marshal's Office is continuing to investigate the cause.