A Hartford teen who saved his family from a raging fire this week, exclusively shared his story with NBC Connecticut.
“I’m in shock to think that's my house right there,” said Christopher Brown. On Thursday, he came back to his home on Edgewood Street in Harford’s North End and saw it in shambles.
“Wow... is this real?” Brown added.
The 16-year-old was asleep around 3 a.m. Wednesday when flames engulfed the place. His mother woke him up seconds later.
The teen instantly knew he had to save his family from the unit on the second floor. First, he got his 12-year-old sister out of the burning building.
“I seen this big red glare and the flames," Brown said. "I thought wow.”
Then he went back inside to help his mother in her bedroom. She’s partially paralyzed and has trouble walking.
“I tried to get into my mom’s room to see if we could get anything there was too much smoke I said let’s just go,” Brown explained.
He held onto her as they made their way down the stairs, and time was running out.
“It’s amazing what my mom did… She sat down and on each level of the step she slid down as the fire was coming towards us,” he said.
After the family of three escaped, they realized how severe the situation really was. Nothing could be salvaged.
“We don't have anything…Everything is gone my mom and sister left the house with no shoes,” Brown said, adding he's thankful they survived. ”There’s so many things I could complain about… But I’m here.”
The family is staying at a motel while they find another place to live. No one was hurt in the fire. Investigators said a space heater sparked it.
