6-year old Bradley Pollett is a young member of the Tampa First SDA Church family. Last year I got to know him and his family as I studied with his older sister Heather, preparing her for baptism. Below is the story of how God’s providence woke him up in the middle of the night so he could report a fire in the neighborhood before it got out of control.
Watch the Video News report. On the video menu just scroll down to “Boy Raises Fire Alarm” and click onto it.
Not only did Bradley save a lot of property damage, but the fire was also on the verge of some homes with families with children still asleep. Bradely and his parents believe it was God’s providence that woke Bradley up in the middle of the night. While up Bradley got some water and spilled it. It was after cleaning it up that Bradley noticed the neighbor’s house on fire. Not only was it providential that Bradley woke up in the middle of the night, but his father explained to me that if Bradley had not spilled the water he never would have noticed the fire.
Here is the newspaper report.
6-Year-Old Boy’s Bad Dream Prevents Nightmare
Early Sunday morning, Bradley helped protect the lives of three families when he alerted his father, Brian Pollett that there was a fire in front of their home.
By NEIL JOHNSON The Tampa Tribune
The Tampa Tribune
Published: June 2, 2008
TAMPA – A 6-year-old boy who tumbled out of bed early Sunday morning spotted a neighbor’s vacant house on fire, allowing his father to alert residents in adjacent homes where the fire was spreading.
In the eyes of his father and neighbors, Bradley Pollett is a hero, but Bradley shakes off such adulation.
The fire at 3817 W. San Pedro St. in South Tampa started in a motor home parked in the driveway. By the time Bradley spotted it about 2:45 a.m., flames were spreading to the house itself.
Bradley was having a bad dream when he fell out of bed, he said. He asked his father, Brian Pollett, for a drink of water. Then he saw flames across the street.
“I was sleeping and waked up and saw the fire got bigger and bigger,” Bradley said.
He learned about fires during a recent visit to a fire station.
While Bradley’s mother called 911, Brian Pollett ran to the houses on either side of the fire.
“I went out and started knocking on neighbors’ doors,” he said. “Everybody was sound asleep.”
Josh and Jennifer Farrell were awakened by Pollett’s cries of “fire, fire” and were able to get their two children out of the house, even as heat from flames melted its plastic shutters.
Josh Farrell was confident that if the fire had burned for another 10 or 15 minutes before firefighters arrived, the houses on both sides would have caught fire.
“Thanks, Bradley. We appreciate it,” he said.
Firefighters arrived at the house at 3:01 a.m. – about eight minutes after the 911 call, Tampa Fire Rescue said. The fire was under control in about 20 minutes.
The empty house is owned by Ronald and Mary Bynum, 61, of San Antonio. The fire started in the 1996 motor home in the driveway, though investigators have not determined the cause.
The fire department said the blaze caused about $50,000 in damage to the motor home and $60,000 in damage to the house.
About two dozen firefighters from four stations responded, along with four engines and a ladder truck.
Mary Bynum said the family lost nearly everything in the house except for a few items moved to their new home in Pasco County.
Still, she said, it could have been worse if Bradley had not noticed the fire.
“I guess we will be indebted to Bradley forever,” she said. “He’s a hero, no doubt about it.”
Bradley’s father agreed.
“He’s quite the little hero this morning,” Pollett said.
Reporter Neil Johnson can be reached at (813) 259-7731 or njohnson@tampatrib.com.
