Boys’ fire rescue a class act
Published: September 26, 2006
Three boys who combined to rescue an 89-year-old war veteran from his burning home say they had learnt at school what to do.
Horizon Tamati-Smith says he did not think to be scared when he ran into the Waipukurau house and dragged Tim Tocker to safety.
“I just knew an old man lived there because I’ve seen him there before. I ran inside and the fire was blazing by the door. I hadn’t time to be scared.”
Horizon and his mates, Marvin Beets and Halen Eru, all 12, were walking home from a skate park when Halen saw thick black smoke pouring from the wooden house in Tavistock St about 4pm on Sunday.
“We went up to the door and we opened it and yelled out, `Is anyone there?”‘
The boys then followed advice they had been given in the classroom.
“We closed the door again because the oxygen would have fed the fire and it would have got bigger.”
Horizon ran to alert neighbours, while Halen went to a dairy to dial 111.
Marvin kept watch at the house: “I opened the door again because I heard loud coughing.”
Marvin tried to enter the house but was forced back by thick smoke affecting his asthma.
When Horizon returned, he called out to the man, who stood hanging on to the kitchen bench.
With his T-shirt held over his nose and mouth, Horizon ran inside.
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“He was gasping real hard and was dizzy and I was real dizzy too.”
Horizon dragged Mr Tocker to the front porch. A widower, Mr Tocker served as a machine gunner in World War II. He was treated for smoke inhalation at Hawke’s Bay Regional Hospital and discharged yesterday.
Waipukurau fire station officer Peter Hallagan described the boys’ actions as “brilliant”.
“There was smoke oozing out of the house when we arrived and in another couple of minutes it would have got into the ceiling and flashed over the house.
“Horizon broke the rule of going back into a fire but in my opinion he saved the guy’s life.”
And what was Horizon’s opinion?
“He was in a real war. So we saved a man who saved us, that’s cool.”
It is believed the fire was caused by sparks from a fireplace.
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