A mail carrier in South Jersey is being celebrated for his quick thinking after he spotted a home on fire in Haddonfield and jumped into action, helping save a family.
On Wednesday, as he walked through Haddonfield, mail carrier Kyle Quillen said he saw something he will never forget.
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WATCH HERE"We know when things are wrong or different or now. We do see a lot on this," Quillen told NBC10's Siobhan McGirl.
He said that it was on that day that he was one of the first to spot a home along his route on fire.
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SIGN UP "I turn around, I see the big plume of black smoke coming from her house. I start running towards that direction," he said.
Immediately, Quillen called 9-1-1 and, the mail carrier said, he then rushed to a side porch where a woman, child and the family's dog were outside.
“I jumped over the fence. Tried to secure her, the dog, the baby. I got the dog eventually using my keys as a collar and my mail strap as a leash. I brought him outside. Had a neighbor take the dog, ran to the backyard, told the lady to follow me and got out of the property," recalled Quillen. “Just complete adrenaline. I didn’t even think about it.”
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Chief Patrick Gorman, of Haddon Fire Company No. 1 said were it not for Quillen's quick thinking, the situation could have turned out much differently.
"I would say that had he not been there, this could have had a different result," said Gorman.
The family that owned the home, too, said that they appreciated Quillen's help when they needed it. No one was hurt in the fire.
All along his route this week, neighbors expressed gratitude for Quillen's efforts. But, he said, that's not what it's all about.
He's just thinking about the family involved and hoping they recover from the damage to their home.
"Just grateful that everybody got out okay," said Quillen.
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