Police praise boy for quick action
Youth called 911 to report apartment fire in nearby building
NEW GLASGOW — A quick-thinking youth is receiving praise for his actions on the night of April 30, when a fire broke out in an apartment building next door to his home on Forbes Street in New Glasgow.
The blaze destroyed the apartment building and left a dozen people without a home.
Abdullah Almethyb, who is 11, moved to New Glasgow in 2016 with his family, who came to Canada as refugees from Syria.
The night of the fire, Almethyb said he had been up late watching TV with his father and brother, when he got up to lie down on the couch.
That’s when a light outside caught his eye.
“At first I thought it was a car light,” he said. But he wanted to make sure so he took a closer look. That’s when he realized it was a fire.
“I went upstairs superfast,” he said. “I almost slipped on the stairs. Then I got to my mom. When I said to my mom, ‘Mom there’s a fire! There’s a fire!’ She thought there was a fire at the house.”
The youngster then called 911 to report the emergency.
“At first my mom and dad and my family were scared, because there wasn’t a lot of firefighters,” Almethyb said. “I tried to make them feel OK.”
Soon the whole area was filled with police and fire vehicles.
First responders offered to evacuate the family, but they decided to stay.
“I could feel the heat. I could smell the smoke,” he said.
He admits he was scared to sleep, so instead watched out the window as the crews battled the fire.
“I wished I could go work with them,” he said.
The young boy said he’s always wanted to be a police officer when he grows up and was very proud to receive a certificate from New Glasgow Regional Police Chief Stephen Chisholm recognizing him for his quick actions.
“His dedication to his community potentially saved lives and further damage to neighouring households," said Chisholm.
But Almethyb said he was just trying to do the right thing.