Teenager Uses Trampoline to Help Residents Escape Raging Fire
Calm thinking and a trampoline were the tools a resourceful Pennsylvania teenager used to help residents escape from his burning apartment complex.
17-year-old Fallon O’Regan spoke to a reporter from WTAE-TV saying that “he was just about to go to bed when he saw a light outside on his front porch. As he got closer, he noticed it wasn’t a light, but flames.
“He rushed out of his apartment, then pulled a trampoline over to help people on the upper floors escape.”
According to the report, Fallon said, “Me and Robert, my neighbor downstairs, we had to move the trampoline from across the side of the house to the three bedrooms over on the last part of the house because they would have got hurt.”
O’Regan’s mom, Becky Williams expressed her gratitude for what her son did: “I’m proud of him. I mean we’re suffering losses because we think we lost our cats, but he saved a lot of people today. I’m really proud of him.”
Bentleyville Fire-Rescue posted this statement on their Facebook page about the incident:
“At 00:52 the alarm was struck for a apartment fire with reported people trapped. Medic 5407 arrived with a working fire and people jumping from windows. With quick action by the Medics and bystanders, a trampoline was used to aid those individuals trapped.
“Truck 11 arrived and completed a primary search and initiated an offensive attack. Crews were then pulled out and went defensive. Great work by all who operated. Thank you to all of the mutual aid departments.
“Our thoughts are with the families effected by this fire.”
Citizens following Bentleyville Fire-Rescue expressed their appreciation and admiration of the young man’s quick-thinking and the action of the first responders:
“That was a 17 year old that got the trampoline and. Got help to pull it over to the house and they could junp (sic).”
“Fro (sic) what I heard a young man was quick thinking and saved some lives. I’d love to hear more.”
“Thank you to all of the first responders! What a scary situation.”
“Thank you to everyone who worked heroically for a good outcome!”
According to the fire chief, three people were taken to the hospital due to smoke inhalation — a situation that might have been much worse if it weren’t for O’Regan’s actions.
