Cromer teen hailed a hero after rescuing his little brother from burning house

A HEROIC teenager saved his little brother’s life as a fire ripped through their Cromer home on Sydney’s northern beaches over the weekend.

Alison Marks

2 min read

February 9, 2016 - 11:03AM

Manly Daily

The living room, now just a shell. Picture: Martin Lange.

A HEROIC teenager saved his little brother’s life as fire ripped through their Cromer home destroying everything over the weekend.

Jack Holland, 15, woke up to an alarm going off and his younger brother, Kai, 12, screaming, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Their home was ablaze and also at risk was the boys’ grandmother, Brenda Isenberg, who was looking after the boys while their parents, Matt and Amanda, were away.

Still shaken by the ordeal, Jack said: “I tried using the lights but they didn’t work — it was pitch black and I was breathing in a lot of smoke,” he said.

“I got my phone and tried to use it as a torch but it was hard because there was so much smoke.”

“I couldn’t get to the front door and then I remembered the back door was open so I got on my knees and crawled all the way there.”

Kai's bedroom was one of the first rooms to go up in flames. Luckily, he was sleeping in his parent’s room that night. Picture: Martin Lange.

Jack said when he got to the back door he phoned triple-zero for the fire brigade and started screaming for Kai to get out of the house.

Mrs Isenberg had managed to escape through the front of the house. But she frantically banged her hands on the front door, calling for them to get out because she thought they were still trapped inside. She suffered severe bruising on her hands in the panic.

Jack said it was impossible to hear anything. “He couldn’t hear me over the alarm so I used my torch as a guide.”

Kai said his brother saved his life.

“I ran into the hallway but then I panicked and ran back into the room,” he said.

Kai said he was too scared to leave his room, but his brother told him he could do it and to get down low.

The living room, now just a shell. Picture: Martin Lange.

“I also remembered from kindergarten to get on my hands and knees and go so that’s what I did.

But my brother basically saved my life because I couldn’t see where I was going and the light from the torch guided me out the back.”

The boys parents, Matt and Amanda, were away for the weekend to celebrate Ms Holland’s birthday.

Both Mr and Mrs Holland said despite losing everything they own, they’re just relieved the boys are alive.

“Yes it’s a tragedy, but no one lost their life,” he said.

The scene on the night when Emergency services attended.

Mr Holland said he was extremely proud of the boys.

“They’re brave, they listen and the best part is, they weren’t 100 per cent sure nana wasn’t in there, but they didn’t go back in. One life can cost two, and I’ve taught him that,” he said.

The family have been renting the property for the past seven years, however do not have insurance.