A minor error by one man led to what could have been a terrible tragedy on Sunday night. Brendon Birt, who was on his way to drop off an acquaintance, made a wrong turn and ran into an Iowa house fire. Birt was quick to react and took desperate measures to warn the insiders, saving four siblings.
The whole incident was captured on a Ring doorbell camera.
An untimely turn:
KETV reported that Birt was set on fire by flames at a Red Oak home’s porch.
Birt said, “I remember driving past the house and looking to my right.” “I can see flames from the porch. It was going to get really bad very quickly.
Three children, aged 8, 14, and 17, and their older 22-year-old brother were found asleep in the house, where smoke alarms had not gone off.
Birt stated to KETV that he believed people were in the room. Birt stated that he felt as though someone was inside because it was late at night. “I knew I had to act quickly.”
Birt can be seen in one version of Ring’s doorbell camera footage reversing his car after passing the house. Birt ran out of his car, clutching his phone, to call emergency services after he saw the inferno.
Birt stated that he wasn’t content to wait and watch, even though he had notified authorities.
Birt stated, “I took another step back.” “It was so hot, so I moved to the side.” “It was so dark that I couldn’t see anything.”
Birt banged on doors and windows, screaming out that there was fire and imploring people to get out.
Spirit Lehman, a teenager, told NBC News she woke up after hearing Birt scream outside.
Spirit Lehman quickly reacted and woke up Christopher, her younger brother, and Kindred, her older sister. Bryce Harrison, the older brother of the children, quickly followed Spirit Lehman’s lead and rushed out to the porch. By then, the porch was completely engulfed by flames.
Harrison said to KCRG, that he entered an oven of heat, flames, and fires at the front wall when he was trying to escape.
Captured on Ring doorbell camera: Family of four in Red Oak, Iowa, runs for their lives as fire engulfs their home. It was late at night and they were roused from their sleep by a passersby who started pounding on the windows. The man, Brendon Birt, is being hailed a hero. pic.twitter.com/UPiA4EBRdw
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) October 31, 2022
Birt said that he wanted to cry and break down after the four residents fled the house. Birt said, “I don’t even know these folks.”
The siblings managed to escape the fire but five of their dogs died in the flames. Two dogs survived.
After being consumed by fire, the Lehmans’ house became a write-off. Christopher Lehman stated that “everything in the living room was just black.” … It was gone.
Tender Lehman was away in Montana with a family emergency. Birt’s kindness was a huge blessing to Lehman, who said that her children wouldn’t have survived without Birt.
Birt is now “family”, said Lehman.
Lehman said that she and her husband had “built a beautiful, fulfilling life out of nothing once and that they have faith that they can do it again.”
Lehman said that she was encouraged by the support and clothing provided by the community for her children after the fire.
