Three Saskatoon teens honoured for rescuing woman from a burning house

Avery Chubb and his two friends Georgia Vanderlinde and Quinn Hogan were having a typical afternoon last month until they saw thick plumes of black smoke coming from a home on Zeman Crescent.

Suddenly their afternoon became extraordinary as they called 911 and checked to see if anyone was inside the home.

"While I was on the phone, we were like, 'We gotta go in the door here. There's a person in here we can see her freaking out,'" Chubb said, describing that afternoon.

The trio of Grade 12 students from Marion Graham were returning home from a basketball game in Martensville only moments earlier.

Suddenly, with fire quickly spreading on the outside of the home, they were inside with the homeowner helping her search for her five cats. Before the smoke penetrated the inside of the home, they helped the woman find her jacket and purse and went outside.

"I really didn't have any distinct thoughts as I was going," Chubb said. "I was like, 'OK, fire department. Make sure no one's dying in this house."

"They said on the phone, ‘get her out of the house. Make sure everyone's out,’" Vanderlinde said.

On Monday, Chubb, Vanderlinde and Hogan were presented with an Award of Merit by fire department Chief Morgan Hackl and Mayor Charlie Clark for their quick thinking and heroic efforts.

When Hackl learned he was presenting awards to three citizens, he didn't expect them to be so young.

"I'm amazed — the future is bright for the city of Saskatoon," Hackl said. "So engaged, so intelligent, wanting to be part of solutions. They made a quick decision, they made the right decisions and did have an impact on someone that was in a burning building," Hackl said.

Based on how quickly and carefully they reacted, Hackl had a career suggestion for the trio of friends after graduation this spring.

"They should probably consider a career in the fire service," Hackl said. "They did all the right steps."

To further his pitch, Hackl showed them how to go down the fire pole at Station No. 1 and allowed the proud friends and family on hand to take pictures and videos of the brave teens.

Chubb agrees he might have to give firefighting more thought.

"I thought in the back of my head, 'I did pretty good in there. This could be awesome,'" he said with a laugh.

They’ve received plenty of praise from family, friends, and teachers at school.

"I've been called a hero by pretty much everybody," Hogan said.

In the days that followed the fire, the woman they helped took to the internet to identify and meet her rescuers. After some helpful tips, she was able to confront Chubb, Vanderlinde and Hogan to thank them and hand them some gift certificates.

Even after receiving the Award of Merit from the mayor, the trio are thankful for the support, but certainly don't feel like heroes.

"We were just in the right spot at the right time," Chubb said.

"I'm just glad we helped her," Vanderlinde said.

"You could say it was coincidence, but we did the right thing, I feel," Hogan said.

All five cats were safely recovered from the home.

A neighbouring home also caught fire in the blaze that caused an estimated $750,000 damage.