Teen stepbrothers rescue man from burning home on the way to school

CHILTON COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC/Gray News) – Two high school students in Alabama saved a man from a house fire on their way to school this week.

WBRC reports that stepbrothers James Phillips and Colton Sanders jumped into action when they noticed smoke coming from a home.

“We parked and jumped out of the truck. We took off running up to the front porch and as we got up to the front porch, he [the resident] was trying to come out the back,” Phillips said.

An older man was reportedly in the home at the time of the fire and, luckily, Phillips and Sanders were there just in time to help him get out.

“I was just glad to know that we weren’t too late,” Phillips said.

“Relieved” is a word the two young men use to describe their feelings at that moment.

“We did it because we were hoping that if one of our family members or one of us were in that situation, someone would stop to help us as we did him,” Phillips said.

The stepbrothers said they then called 911, informing dispatchers about the man they saved and asked for emergency medical services.

Chilton County Sheriff John Shearon said, “the two young men deserve some recognition.”

Shearon said when he heard about the teens’ heroism, it put a big smile on his face.

“To know that society still has good people coming along after us to do the right thing,” Shearon said.

Shearon said he is working on the way to recognize both young men.

Officials said the home was a total loss in the fire.

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