Madera district employee saves couple from their burning home
A Madera Unified School District employee saved the lives of two people when the couple’s home was on fire.
According to a news release from the school district, the Dec. 19 fire took place in the neighborhood where Eastin-Arcola Elementary School is located.
The school employee – who is not named in the news release, but was identified as Tony Martinez by the Madera Tribune – was putting up the school flags when he was saw the fire at around 6 a.m. from across the street. The couple was not aware their home was on fire, according to the release.
Neither school district offcials nor Martinez could be reached Christmas week.
“Our employee reacted by running to the home, jumping a fence, and entering the home that was full of smoke and flames,” according to the release. “He pulled a male and a female out of the house and coordinated a 9-1-1 call with another district employee to get authorities on the scene as quickly as possible.”
School Superintendent Todd Lile in the release said “heroes do not always come in capes.”
The fire didn’t affect the school day, and the school district provided support, such as necessary transportation adjustments and counseling to those in need.
This story was originally published December 27, 2019 at 6:00 AM.
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