News updates are sent daily. You can unsubscribe at any time.
6-year-old hospitalized after saving family from fire
Digg|
Save|
License|
Print|
E-mail|
Six year-old Ervin Rodriguez recovers from smoke inhalation at Banner Children's Hospital in Mesa.
Julio Jimenez, Tribune
Six-year-old Ervin Rodriguez wants to go home, but his mom doesn't have the heart to tell him it's not there. The family's Tempe trailer home, and everything in it, was consumed by fire early Wednesday - just moments after young Ervin led his family to safety.
The fire started in the room Ervin shared with his 3-year-old brother, Edwin. He grabbed his little brother and ran through the living room to awaken his parents and baby brother.
"Ervin was hitting us, telling us to wake up, that his room was on fire," recalled his mother, Arlet Lopez. "When we got outside, his room was on fire."
A few seconds later, the family's only exit would have been blocked, she said. The smoke alarm went off as they ran through the living room. "As soon as we stepped down the stairs, when I looked back, the fire was already in the living room," she said.
Ervin is recovering from smoke inhalation at Banner Children's Hospital at Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa. He spent his first two days on a ventilator, but was weaned off Friday and could be discharged in a couple of days.
"He was a sick little kid when he came here," said Lisa Hegarty, clinical manager for respiratory care. She said black soot was being suctioned out of his lungs.
"He just inhaled so much smoke, bless his heart. He was so busy trying to get his family out of the house," Hegarty said.
Lopez said it's hard to look at her oldest child without crying, thinking of what could have been and feeling so grateful they still have each other.
No one else in the family was injured, but the blaze took everything. For now, Ervin's parents are staying with him in the hospital and his little brothers are with their grandmother.
Tempe Fire investigator Mike Reichling said the fire appears to have started with a space heater in the boys' bedroom.
"The story here is, the kid reacted properly. He went and told the parents," Reichling said. "The smoke detector reacted... and they were able to get everybody out."
An account for the family has been set up at Bank of America, # 457009020948, to collect money for clothing and furniture.
Please add your comments, but follow these guidelines to keep this a safe, credible place for discussing the news: