Fearless dad saves neighbor from blazing house, heroic act caught on camera

A fearless dad put himself in a life-threatening situation to save his neighbors from a house fire. It was all caught on video.

The Pennsylvania dad, Oscar Rivera, noticed the three-story building ablaze on April 14 while he was in the backyard with his children, prompted by a loud noise.

“I was in the backyard with my kids playing, and all of a sudden, we heard a boom,” said Oscar. Hurrying to the front of his house, he spotted his neighbor’s burning home across the street.

A woman desperately tried to save a man from the attic window, balancing on a narrow ledge. Smoke billowed out as the trapped man cried for help.

“I looked at the guy; he was on top of the roof, like on the window sticking out, saying help me, help me,” said Oscar.

He and a neighbor swiftly got a ladder to help, according to reports.

Oscar described how he kept jumping until he reached the top floor to rescue the man trapped inside.

When the victim cried, “Help me, I can’t walk,” Oscar immediately pulled him from the window.

Janeen Huth, who witnessed and filmed the event, commended the fearless dad for his bravery, especially with his young children witnessing the scene from the door.

As onlookers urged them on, firefighters arrived with equipment to assist.

The fearless dad, Oscar Rivera, managed to get the victim onto the ledge, securing his safety.

“At the moment, I wasn’t scared. I just wanted to save him. That’s what I wanted to do,” the fearless dad told WFMZ-TV.

“Oscar is a true hero,” Janeen said. 

Firefighters rescued the victims and transported them to safety in ambulances.

The man Oscar rescued suffered critical burns, as reported. “I hope he’s okay. I’m praying for him,” he said.

The incident also resulted in damage to six homes and the evacuation of 20 people.

Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire.

Meanwhile, Minersville Mayor Sean Palmer expressed gratitude to the fearless dad, Oscar Rivera, in a Facebook post for rescuing his neighbors, per USA TODAY.

“I would like to publicly thank the individuals who sprung into action to save those two individuals,” the mayor wrote, describing Oscar as a civilian who acted bravely, extracting a man and a woman from the top floor window of the burning building.

Mayor Palmer thanked the firefighters, specifically Fire Chief Mike Melochick and volunteer firefighter Luke Heffron, for their bravery in climbing ladders to help Oscar and other trapped individuals.

Despite suffering severe smoke inhalation, both firefighters are expected to recover.

In a similar story, Richard Mosback, another fearless man from New York, acted bravely when he noticed his neighbor’s house on fire, CBS News noted.

“I saw smoke coming from the house and immediately thought, ‘Call 911, the house is on fire,'” said Richard.

However, the smoke was too thick, forcing him to retreat.

Richard then spotted his neighbor, Andrew Spitzfaden, a firefighter, trapped in a second-floor window.

“I ran back here because I knew I had the ladder,” Richard recounted. “I was just scared I wasn’t gonna be able to get there in time. I was worried about him.”

Richard, aided by a contractor from a nearby van, climbed up the ladder to rescue Spitzfaden.

Despite being strangers, Spitzfaden acknowledged the contractor’s role in saving him.

“I never even met him before, but he came. He definitely saved my life,” said the firefighter. “I went to three calls right after actually, still, because I love the fire department so much.”

Despite the loss of their dog, Spitzfaden and his family visited Richard’s home to express their gratitude, recognizing his heroic actions during the fire.

Watch the fearless Pennsylvania dad, Oscar Rivera, as he saves his neighbor from a housefire: