Neighbor Called A Hero After Catching A Family Jumping From Their Burning House

A Maryland mother is praising her neighbor’s bravery after a fast-moving house fire nearly trapped her and her two young children inside their Middle River home.

A Narrow Escape

Ashley Gubernat was jolted awake by smoke detectors to find flames spreading across her first floor. As thick smoke climbed to the second story, she grabbed her youngest son and headed for a window. Fear surged as she heard her older son trapped in another area of the house.

"My oldest son was screaming, 'Help me, help me.' Banging on the side of the house," Gubernat said.

The Catch of a Lifetime

The commotion caught the attention of neighbor Steven Angelini, who raced toward the smoke. Seeing the family trapped on the second floor, he positioned himself directly beneath the window and prepared to catch the children.

"He stood under me and he kept saying, 'Drop them Ash, I got them. Drop them, I'm going to catch them. I'm going to catch them, just drop them,'" Gubernat recalled.

Angelini successfully caught both boys as they were lowered from the ledge.

Community Comes Together

Shortly after the children were safe, other neighbors arrived with a ladder to help Gubernat climb down. While the home sustained heavy damage, the family escaped without serious injury. Gubernat credits the quick intervention of her neighbors for saving their lives. Officials are currently investigating what sparked the blaze.

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