4 jump from multi-family home to escape fire in Middletown

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. (WTNH) — Firefighters are looking to identify the Good Samaritans who helped save four people from a fire Sunday night.

They’re being praised for being instrumental in saving the lives of two adults and two children.

“I said like ‘Is there anybody in there?’ and a lady put her hands out the window,” said Eliezer Reyes, also known as Drew.

He was driving to the corner store with his girlfriend Sunday night when he saw a cloud of thick black smoke coming from 1 Dunham Avenue. He immediately jumped into action.

“I was like, ‘Drop the kid, I’m gonna catch him, I’m gonna catch him,’ and she didn’t trust me at first, but eventually she dropped her kid, and I caught him, and I told him to ‘Go back there, go back there, go back there,’ and then the other kid fell, and I caught him,” Reyes said.

Reyes was able to convince the woman to hang from the window and he caught her. He said her husband then did the same.

“On the way down, he hurt his foot, but I hope he’s okay,” Reyes said.

Middletown South Fire District Chief James Trzaski praised Reyes for jumping into action.

“Whether he knew it or not he made a huge difference,” Trzaski said.

Fire officials said they arrived on scene within five minutes of the call to find heavy fire conditions in the rear of the building from the second floor of a multi-family residence.

Upon arrival, firefighters discovered those two adults and two children jumped from the second floor, assisted by neighbors below.

All four were brought to Middlesex Hospital for minor injuries and smoke inhalation.

Firefighters were also able to rescue three dogs from that building.

Officials said the fire was under control within 30 minutes. In total, five people were displaced from the home and are being assisted by the American Red Cross.

“My whole life I always wanted to be a firefighter and I was like this is my chance to like help somebody maybe,” Reyes said.

The fire chief commended Reyes for the action he took, but stressed he does not want people running into smoke-filled or burning buildings to try to save people, because they may end up needing to be saved themselves.

Trzaski said the only way out of the apartment was the staircase. That’s where firefighters think the fire started, and that’s why he strongly recommends anyone living on the second floor have a fire ladder so they can climb down instead of having to jump out a window.

Trzaski said the fire does appear to be accidental, but the exact cause has yet to be determined.

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