A deadly house fire claimed the lives of two people on Thursday, but at least one person survived the blaze because of the quick thinking of a teenager who was late to school.
Derrick Llamas, just 19 years old, was running late to school on Thursday, when his neighbor told him that her grandparents and another person were trapped inside the burning structure.
“I think my survival skills just kicked in,” he said. “I put my sweater over my nose to block (the smoke). I started calling out ‘grandma’ and I could hear her voice from far away.”
Llamas told the woman to follow the sound of his voice, and when he found her, he took her over his shoulder and carried her out of the burning building.
“I just took her body over my shoulder and I carried her out and laid her down near the porch,” he said.
Llamas then tried to go back into the building to save other people, but was pushed back by the extreme temperatures.
“I tried to go upstairs, and I just couldn’t do it,” he said. “The house was real hot. I couldn’t see. I couldn’t breathe.”
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Two people ultimately perished in the blaze, as 86-year-old Isaac Davis Sr. and 60-year-old Peggy Davis tragically died.
“It was heartbreaking, because the lady was crying for her husband and I tried to tell her it was going to be alright,” Llamas said. “I felt bad because I could save the lady, but not the old man.”
Llamas said he was dealing with a severe headache and chest pain after the fire, but that he will be okay. The experience has reinforced his dreams of somebody becoming a firefighter.
“Since I was little, I wanted to become a fireman,” he said. “I like helping people. Even though my life was at risk, I didn’t really think about it. I just wanted to get her out of the building.”
