Receiving an alert that his house was on fire, a panicking Maryland father flipped his car in an accident, then ran a half-a-mile to save his children from the burning residence.
WCHS-TV reports that after Carlos Pettigrew got the distressing call, on the way to the townhouse he accidentally drove his car into a ditch. He then freed himself and dashed on foot the rest of the way.
“I was going to lose my children, and I wasn’t ready for that,” Pettigrew told NBC Washington.
Fortunately, the kids, ages 7, 9 and 13 — as well as their 15-year-old cousin — had already exited the home and were safe when Pettigrew arrived. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the flames and save the family dog, who was in the basement. The house was left “blackened and full of debris,” however.
The dad was also taken to the hospital for minor injuries sustained in the car crash. The family is currently displaced and receiving assistance. The cause of the fire is unknown. Pettigrew’s wife calls the whole thing “a miracle.”
#awesomefather
Photo: Prince George’s County Fire Department
video: WCHS-TV
