Great Story from KTVB that talks about the heroism of Caldwell Mayor Garret Nancolas. What a great opportunity of public service and what a wonderful ending:
From KTVB of Boise:
Caldwell Mayor Garret Nancolas was leaving his office Friday afternoon to head to Nampa. Instead, he decided to go home to see his grand-daughter. Nancolas said he's usually not home around four, but he's glad he was that day.
As soon as Nancolas pulled up to his house, a neighbor came running to him.
"I looked across the front yard. The front door was open, there was smoke billowing out of the front door," said Nancolas.
The apartment next door to Nancolas' house was on fire. Nancolas and the teen-aged neighbor ran to the apartment where the boy's mom was standing outside, and called 911. While Nancolas was on the phone, he said the woman went back inside the apartment.
"I said, 'we gotta get her out,'" said Nancolas. "And it was one of those instinctive things you just do. I mean I saw the smoke billowing out of the house, I didn't really know what was inside. But you just act, and that's all I did."
They found the mom in her bedroom looking for her car keys. After Nancolas and Ali got the mom outside, they helped get the people in the next apartment out. Even though it's outside his normal mayoral duties, Nancolas said he doesn't think it's a big deal.
"Well you're right I don't run into burning buildings every day. And to be honest with you, it's one of those thing I didn't even think about. I just saw the smoke, I knew there was a problem and just went."
He does not consider his actions heroic.
"The heroes are the firefighters, the people that come and take care of things and get the fire out so quickly, the young man being so calm, cool, and collected and helping his mom and making sure that she was taken care of," Nancolas said.
He insists he was just being a good neighbor.
"Would I do it again? Sure. I really think I would. I know I would because the most important thing in this situation was the safety of those individuals and making sure that they were all taken care of."
The Caldwell Fire burn-out fund helped pay for a motel for the family who's apartment was damaged. Nancolas told KTVB their landlord says he will help them find somewhere to live while the apartment is being fixed up.
The Caldwell Fire Department said the cause of the fire is believe to be spilled cooking oil. Nancolas said the mom threw water on the hot grease, causing the fire to spread. Fire damage was contained to the kitchen area, but there was smoke damage throughout the apartment.
