10-year-old is 'lifesaving hero' after quick thinking helps elderly patients escape burning care facility
What's the most heroic thing you'd ever done by the age of 10? Most people probably haven't managed to do anything particularly courageous at that age - especially since we all want to minimise the danger that children find themselves in. I think the bravest thing I ever did as a child was take the rap for my younger sister after she accidentally smashed some of my grandmother's glass ornaments. However, as annoyed as she was, I certainly wasn't in any mortal danger, and I didn't exactly save my sister's life.
However, at age 10 Carlos Matos is already a real hero whose quick thinking has saved the lives of no less than six people, thanks to his keen sense of observation, cool head under pressure, and good common sense. Now the pint-sized paladin is going to be awarded a special commendation by the city council of Healdsburg, California.
On the evening of Sunday, November 25, young Carlos was eating rice in the kitchen of the Magnolia Manor senior care facility where his mother worked. Now, Carlos is an observant boy, and he was alarmed when he saw smoke curling up from the stovetop of the kitchen's oven. Acting fast, the quick-thinking kid alerted his mother Liz, who worked as the facility administrator, telling her that he could see smoke rising from the oven and that he suspected a fire.
However, before Carlos could do anything more, the fire began shooting out of the oven, nearly burning him. The brave boy reportedly attempted to battle the flames with a fire extinguisher - but this proved ineffective, and so he was compelled to dial 911. Soon, Carlos' mother Liz Matos and a number of local police officers had arrived on the scene and began to help rescue six of the residents who were still stuck inside the facility.
Firefighters from the Healdsburg fire department soon arrived with engines and water tankers, and thankfully they managed to contain the inferno and save some of the structure from damage. Commenting on the incident, Healdsburg fire marshal Linda Collister described Carlos as having: "A very cool head on his shoulders. He's kind of a hero. It could have been bad. … The fire spread pretty quickly."
Officials say that nobody was badly injured by the fire, although paramedics were on had to provide medical care. A number of animals have also gone missing, although Carlos managed to rescue a little Chihuahua. California Fire Battalion Chief Marshall Turbeville had estimated the damage caused by the blaze to be approximately $200,000. Furthermore, Collister claims that the senior care facility didn't feature a sprinkler system. The cause of fire, is still unknown.
It's amazing to think that six fully-grown adults owe their lives to young Carlos. Personally, I think that he might have a bright future ahead of him as a firefighter, or maybe even a full-blown superhero. Carlos: you're a legend!