They thought it was a bonfire.
Then they realized he was burning a house.
And without waiting for help, they ran to the flames.
It happened on July 4 in Lodi, Wisconsin, where five young friends were nearby when they noticed a dense column of smoke coming from a home.
For a moment they believed it was a bonfire lit for the festivities.
But just approached to understand reality.
The house was on fire.
They didn't wear uniforms.
They were not firefighters.
They didn't get a fire training.
Yet they decided to intervene.
They reached the house, managed to open a door and entered the smoke, calling loudly to understand if there was still someone inside.
Someone answered.
Inside the house there were several members of the same family, including an elderly couple. According to the reconstructions, the owner of the house, 91 years old, was celebrating his birthday with his family when the fire broke out.
The five boys reached them and helped them out one after another.
A few moments after the last person was rescued, the rogue intensified further.
The firefighters arrived soon after.
For all the occupants of the house, those few minutes made a difference.
Their history reminds us that courage is not always born of experience.
Sometimes it comes from an instinctive choice.
Don't stay and watch when someone needs help.
And at that time, five young people have shown that heroism can have the face of ordinary people who, in front of the emergency, simply decide to do the right thing.