Ethan Dennis named a hero after running into burning home to save pets

A young man has been elevated to hero status after kicking down a door to a house that was engulfed in flames, fearing a family friend was trapped inside. See his amazing story:

A Roma man has been hailed a hero after he ran straight into the burning house of a family friend, fearing she was trapped inside with her pets.

Ethan Dennis was serendipitously driving past when he noticed the Roma house was engulfed in flames on Thursday.

A frantic neighbour hailed him down and warned him that there were animals still inside and that they didn’t know if the resident, Erin Byrnes made it out.

The 20-year-old heroically ran into the burning house thinking Ms Byrnes was asleep and possibly injured.

Her mother Karen Whiley-Byrnes, who is also Mr Dennis’s godmother, said she was proud of his bravery and quick-thinking.

“He kicked down the front door and went looking inside, but sadly the house was badly alight and engulfed in thick smoke by then,” she said.

A home on South St in Roma has been engulfed in fire on the morning of November 3, 2022.

“He ran around to the back of the house where her two big dogs were tied up and terrified.

“One of the dogs was under the house and his kennel was on fire.

“(Mr Dennis) got badly burnt when part of the floor collapsed when he climbed under the house. He only just got himself and the dog back out in time.

“He said he would do it all again to help his family. Ethan Dennis is his name, and he is our hero.”

Ms Whiley-Byrnes said despite the couple losing everything, her daughter was more worried and concerned about having lost the animals that were stuck inside.

She said the couple lost their four cats Mindy, Mia, Blue and Whoopie and their small dog, Dolly in the fire.

Young Roma couple Jordon Dennis and Erin Byrnes.

“Erin and Jordon lost everything in the fire but have their lives and each other,” Ms Whiley-Byrnes said.

“Erin was out in Mitchell at the time helping her brother who was behind with work.

“Thankfully she was there because otherwise she would have been in the house.

Ms Whiley-Byrnes said her daughter was grateful that on the night of the fire, she and her partner could hug their big dogs and remember the pets they lost.

“They were able to do that because of Ethan’s bravery.”

It is unclear how the blaze started but it is being treated as non-suspicious by authorities.

A GoFundMe has been set up by Jordon’s cousins and it has raised $3337 toward the $15,000 goal for the couple.