San Fernando Valley : 3 Boys Hailed as Heroes for Putting Out Fire
Three teen-age boys are being hailed as heroes in West Hills for putting out a fire in a neighbor’s home this week.
The boys said they noticed flames around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through a bedroom window of the home in the 7100 block of Briarstone Lane.
Phillip Rothschild, 15, Nick Teslik, 13, and Doug Marihart, 13, said they called out for the occupants, and, realizing no one was home, entered the house, which was unlocked, and rushed into the bedroom.
The bed was ablaze and flames were already licking the ceiling, they said. “It was pretty scary,” Phillip said.
Nick said he tried to put the fire out by tossing water from a cup, then from a large vase, on the flames.
Phillip and Doug said they ran to their homes nearby to get fire extinguishers. Using those, the boys eventually managed to quell the blaze.
Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Bob Collis said the fire started when a lamp came in contact with the bed.
The blaze was out when firefighters arrived minutes after receiving a call. Damage was minor.
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