Glendale teen ran into burning home to rescue a grandfather
When 17-year-old Logan Ahart saw flames emerging from a house down the block from his own, he ran to homeowner and said, “What can I do to help?”
In that moment, Lindsey Muller said, Logan was her saving grace.
Muller and her 3-year-old son were able to run outside to escape the blaze that erupted at their Glendale home July 15. But her 63-year-old father was still trapped inside.
With the help of David Tuck, an offduty sheriff ’s deputy from Sarasota, Florida, Logan ran into the burning home and quickly located Muller’s father on the back porch.
Together, they helped him out of danger and over a neighbor’s backyard fence just before the home was lost to the flames.
For his heroism, the Glendale Fire Department presented Logan with a Life Safety Award on Tuesday. Tuck is
also scheduled to be recognized by the fire department in his hometown.
Tuesday also marked the first time Logan had seen Muller since the fire.
As Muller choked back tears recounting the events of that day, Logan placed his arm around her shoulders.
“Logan, thank you,” Muller said as tears fell down her face. “I don’t know where I’d be right now if you didn’t save my dad.”
At the time of the rescue, Logan said he acted on adrenaline, adding that he doesn’t even remember feeling the fire’s heat as he ran into the house.
It wasn’t until hours later, as he sat on his living-room couch, that he realized what he had done.
“I was raised to help people and I thank my parents for that,” Logan said.
Glendale Fire Chief Terry Garrison commended Logan for the bravery he displayed in the seconds it took to run inside and save Muller’s father.
“If you just think about the character that it takes for this 17-year-old man to act — to see something that needs to be done, and to engage and actually do it — it’s a really big deal,” Garrison said.
Glendale Fire Operations Chief Gary Benson said Logan acted quickly in the small window of time he had before the flames reached conditions that made the air unbreathable.
“By the time we got there, the fire was so involved that there was no way (Muller’s dad) could get out of the front,” he said. “Thank you for stepping up and making a difference.”
Muller said her dad has since made a full recovery.