Canadian boy, 11, saves family from fire that destroyed house

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40634994

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An 11-year-old Canadian boy saved his whole family from a devastating fire, his mother says.

Marcy Smith was woken up by her son David to find their house in Glovertown, Newfoundland and Labrador, completely engulfed in flames.

The whole family was able to escape, but their house is destroyed and their dog and cats did not make it.

Mrs Smith said if it wasn't for her son, she and her daughter probably wouldn't have survived.

David was on FaceTime to his father at the time, so was the only one awake and saw the flames out of the corner of his eye.

"Within seconds of him getting us up, the flames were everywhere," Mrs Smith told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

"It happened so fast. We were standing in the kitchen by the wood stove and the flames just ate around me and David. The entire kitchen just disappeared while we were standing in it."

She said the fire was started by some rubbish she burned in the wood stove, something she had done "a thousand times" before. The fire alarm did not go off.

The family had nothing but pyjamas on when they fled, but Mrs Smith said the community has rallied behind them, donating clothes and shoes and even a bike for her son.

"All he understands is that me and his sister and him got out. He does not understand that he is the only reason we did," she said.

"He did a huge thing for such a young boy. I am so proud of him and I am going to tell him for the rest of his life until he understands what a big thing he did."