'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
Bank of Canada ends pause on hikes, raises policy rate by 25 basis points
The Bank of Canada raised its overnight rate by 25 basis points to 4.75 per cent on Wednesday, its first increase since pausing hikes in January.

WATCH | Rate hike 'may be the last straw' for some homeowners: mortgage broker
With the latest hike bringing Canada's key interest rates to levels not seen since 2001, one mortgage broker is warning that it may be 'the last straw' for some homeowners with variable mortgages.
Wildfire smoke blankets Ontario, Quebec, air quality plummets, affects activities
Poor air quality is forecast to persist into the weekend across parts of Ontario, as plumes of wildfire smoke blanket the province and prompt school boards to limit outdoor activities.
Canadians want revenge on Bernardo, but that's not how prison works: ex-official
One of the architects of the law that governs Canada's prison system says it's understandable people want revenge on killer and serial rapist Paul Bernardo, but that's not what the prison system is designed for.
Indigo founder Heather Reisman retires, almost half of board steps down
Indigo founder Heather Reisman announced she is retiring as almost half of the book retailer's board of directors steps down.
Kids and social media: Tips for developing positive habits before it's too late
With social media ever-present in modern life, figuring out when and how to introduce it to children is something every parent will have to deal with eventually. CTV's Your Morning spoke to a child-life specialist about how parents can have that conversation and be positive role models too.
'We've never seen this before': Canada's unprecedented fire season adds pressure to crews
The start to wildfire season is adding pressure to fire crews who for some have been working the last month straight to protect communities in Canada.
Sleep, don't scroll: Tips to avoid sleep procrastination
Being a 'sleep procrastinator' might not only make you grumpy the next day, it can put your health at risk. A sleep expert shares tips for making sure bedtime is shut-eye time.
Pope Francis will have abdominal surgery and stay in the hospital for several days
Pope Francis was admitted to the hospital for surgery Wednesday to repair a hernia in his abdominal wall, the latest malady to befall the 86-year-old pontiff who had part of his colon removed two years ago.