Neighbors use trampoline to rescue father trapped inside burning house in Tennessee

Bailey Aldridge
·1 min read
13

Fernando Rivera got home from work Thursday, Aug. 4, to find smoke billowing from his neighbor’s house.

He ran over to the home on Franklin Drive in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as flames tore through the roof, according to a Facebook post from the Chattanooga Fire Department. He found several of the residents had escaped the blaze.

But two were still trapped inside the burning home.

Rivera spotted one, a teenage girl, in an upstairs window, the fire department said.

“She was terrified, but he was able to convince the teen to jump out of the second story window into his arms, saving her,” firefighters said.

He then saw the second trapped resident, the girl’s father, in another upstairs window.

Rivera and another neighbor, Sam Triplett, dragged a trampoline over to the house and had the man jump from the second-story window “without getting hurt,” firefighters said.

“The resident later told fire officials that the smoke was so thick and dark that he struggled to even find a window,” the fire department said.

Firefighters arrived soon after and quickly got the fire, which was mostly contained to the kitchen, under control, according to the fire department. No one was injured.

The fire was mostly contained to the kitchen, officials said.
The fire was mostly contained to the kitchen, officials said.

“Fire Chief Phil Hyman gave (Rivera and Triplett) Citizen Commendation Awards for their heroic actions and personally thanked them for going above and beyond in an emergency situation,” the fire department said.

Fernando Rivera and Sam Triplett were recognized for rescuing two residents from a burning home.
Fernando Rivera and Sam Triplett were recognized for rescuing two residents from a burning home.

The American Red Cross is helping the six children and two adults who were displaced by the fire, firefighters said.

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