A Hartford man risked his life to rescue a family of five from a burning home earlier this week and he's now speaking out about the daring rescue.
Ronell Chaney was watching television early Wednesday morning when he heard a loud sound, he said. He jumped up and looked outside his bedroom window and noticed his neighbor's car was on fire.
Chaney ran two houses down to the Stanwood Street home and banged on his neighbor's door. When no one responded, he ripped the screen door open. Just as he did this, the homeowner, Mai Deoraj, was coming to the door.
Chaney helped Deoraj get out of the home. Then he ran back inside, he said.
"I went and got the kids, told them the car was on fire but by that time the fire had spread through the whole porch," said Chaney.
Once he got the children to safety, he went back inside again.
"Once I got them out I came back inside and I grabbed the mother," he said.
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Hartford firefighters quickly responded but smoke and flames damaged much of the home. At this point, they say the fire remains under investigation.
Chaney says he never thought about his own safety as he ran into the burning home.
"My concern was the kids," said Chaney. "I'm a family man myself. I would never want anything to happen to my family."
Deoraj was too upset to talk again about the tragedy, but said he's grateful Chaney came to their rescue.
Chaney says he doesn't consider himself a hero, but rather a neighbor helping a family in need.
"It was a breath of fresh air because we got everybody out," said Chaney.
