5-Year-Old Pulls Baby Sister and Dog From Housefire, Then Goes Back for 7 Other Family Members

(Illustration - Shutterstock)

A little boy from Kingston, Georgia, awoke to find his bedroom on fire. But rather than freezing in terror, the 5-year-old sprang into action. His quick thinking saved everyone in the home, from his baby sister to the beloved family dog.

In the early hours of the morning on Feb. 9, 2020, a fire broke out in 5-year-old Noah Woods and his 2-year-old sister Lily’s bedroom. There were nine family members asleep in the house in total.

“I don’t know where the flames came from,” Noah later told WSB-TV. “I picked Lily up, got to the window with Lily, got the dog and got out. That’s it.”

After saving his sister and the family dog, Noah returned to the house yet again to wake his uncle. Together, the pair alerted the rest of the family, and everyone exited the burning building to safety.

As per the Daily Mail, the brave 5-year-old escaped with a burn on his wrist but no serious injuries. Baby Lily burned her feet but otherwise escaped unharmed thanks to her big brother.

Illustration - Shutterstock | David Fossler

Noah and four members of his family were treated by emergency medical personnel for minor burns and smoke inhalation. First responders speculated that the fire was sparked by an overloaded electrical outlet in Noah and his baby sister’s bedroom.

“If it wasn’t for Noah, I mean, we were all asleep, so we wouldn’t have known what was going on,” David Woods, Noah’s grandfather, told WSB-TV. “We could’ve all lost our lives.”

On Feb. 11, Bartow County Fire Department (BCFD) shared their version of events on Facebook. “Our hero!” they began. “5 year old Noah Woods recently woke up to find his bedroom on fire. The only available exit was a window.”

Noah was hailed by all as the family’s hero.

“Unbelievable,” one Facebook user commented, echoing the family’s sentiments. “What a true little hero. I know of several grown adults that wouldn’t have done that. You’re a brave brave young man.”

“Wow. This made me tear up,” wrote another, “what a brave and thoughtful little boy, honestly I cannot even imagine what went through his head. He’s a hero.”

Kingston, Georgia

On Feb. 14, in honor of the little boy’s courageous efforts, BCFD Chief Dwayne Jamison formally recognized Noah as an “Honorary Bartow County Firefighter.” The 5-year-old was presented with a Lifesaving Award that will forever serve as a reminder of his brave deed.

“We’ve seen children alert their families before,” BCFD Chief Dwayne Jamison told CNN. “But for a 5-year-old to be alert enough to do this, that’s pretty extraordinary.”

In the wake of the house fire, the Woods family reached out to their local community for help in rebuilding their home by starting a GoFundMe page. “We thank God for our Noah and his heroic actions,” wrote Noah’s grandfather David. “By the grace of God, all nine of our loved ones were able to get out of our home.”

“Unfortunately, our home was a total loss,” David continued. “Due to a recent lapse in our home insurance, this has made a difficult situation a little worse.”

Noah’s grandfather explained that while the family plans to stay in a motel or rent a small home for the time being, their ultimate ambition is to rebuild their home. “It is difficult for us to ask for help from our community,” Woods explained, “however, we know this feat is too great for us to achieve alone.”

As of Feb. 14, the fund has raised over $23,000 of a $75,000 goal.

Donations and supportive comments continue to pour in, wishing the family well and praising 5-year-old Noah for his outstanding bravery. The family can raise funds to help rebuild their home; meanwhile, saving nine lives is priceless.