'It was my responsibility': Manitoba girl saves siblings from destructive house fire
A 12-year-old Manitoba girl is being hailed a hero after saving her two younger brothers from a house fire.
On March 2, Emily Neufeld was home after school with her two brothers – Jamie, 8, and Levi, 4 – when she smelled something strange as she was walking downstairs in the La Broquerie home.
Without warning from a smoke alarm, Emily saw the bathroom had gone up in flames. From there, without panicking, she ran upstairs and got her brothers.
“I just knew it was my responsibility to get my siblings and everything, my sibling and my pets out,” she said in an interview with CTV Morning Live on Tuesday.
Armed with the knowledge that she learned about fire safety in a babysitting course, Emily was able to save her brothers from the fire that severely damaged the family’s home.
“It feels really good and I’m very happy that I saved them,” she said.
The home sustained severe damage in the fire. (Source: Andreas Neufeld)
When Natalie Neufeld, the kids’ mother, learned of the fire it felt like a “nightmare,” but she thankfully learned quickly that her kids were safe.
She said she’s very thankful for her daughter and her quick thinking.
“I mean, they’re here because of her, same with our pets,” she said.
“I’m very, very grateful for her and what she learned at the babysitter’s course.”
Emily encourages other kids to take the babysitting course, as that is where she learned how to safely escape from a home that is on fire.
She said she knows she is a hero, and has been hearing it from many people in the community.
- With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagace.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.