NEW TAZEWELL, Tenn. — A 7-year-old Tennessee boy is being hailed as a hero after he made sure his 22-month-old sister escaped from their burning home Tuesday night.
Nichole Davidson, of New Tazewell, said her 7-year-old son, Eli Davidson, helped his sister away from the home, which was destroyed by the blaze, WVLT reported.
Davidson said she was awakened by smoke and flames in the home, the television station reported. Davidson and her husband, who are former firefighters, immediately took action to get their children outside.
“(Chris) grabbed the fire extinguisher trying to buy me time to get the kids, and I grabbed the boys because they were closest to the fire,” Nichole Davidson told WVLT.
However, the flames in the living room prevented the Davidsons from reaching the bedroom where the toddler was sleeping.
Chris Davidson gave Eli a boost so the boy could enter his sister’s room through a window, WVLT reported.
Eli said he was scared, but managed to corral his sister and hand her to his father at the window.
“Dad busted the window and then I said, ‘I can’t do it,’ like two times, and then I said, ‘I got her, Dad,’” Eli said. “And when we went down there I said, ‘I was scared but I didn’t want my sister to die.’”
No one was hurt in the fire, but the home was a total loss, fire officials said. Investigators have not determined an official cause, but suspect an electrical fire, WVLT reported.