An overnight fire quickly engulfed a mobile home in Kings Mobile Home Park on the Northside of Des Moines. The flames started just before 2:30 a.m. Wednesday. One mobile home was destroyed, but everyone was able to make it out alive because of a hero. That hero is 9-year-old Juan Gomez. “I felt like the house was immediately going to go down,” Juan said. Juan woke up in the middle of the night and noticed an odd smell in the house. “I just thought it was popcorn, but it was so strong so I checked,” Juan said. As he checked on the odd smell, flames started to burn, so he ran to his mom’s room to wake her up.”I had my door closed. He barged into my room and said mom there’s fire,” said Ana Dominguez, Juan Gomez’s mother.By the time Juan alerted his mom, the flames were growing. The family scrambled to get out safely, but flames were already blocking the front door and parts of the ceiling started to fall.That’s when the 9-year-old boy took it on himself to comfort his little sisters.”She was scared and she started crying. I told Cecilia it will be okay,” Juan said. They were okay. All five of them and their two dogs made it out alive because Juan acted quickly. “Had I stayed there I think five more seconds, I think we would’ve, yeah, fried basically” Dominguez said.It pains Dominguez to think of what could have happened if it wasn’t for her brave son, but this proud mom is thankful for her son and what he did.”I thank god for that kid at that moment because we were dead asleep,” Dominguez said. “He is the reason we’re probably alive.”Juan said he realizes his quick actions saved his family and he’s thankful they will have more time together. “I don’t know how to say it,” Gomez said. “I’m just really happy that I saved them and I can still make memories with my family.”Family and friends have donated new shoes, winter coats, backpacks and more to the family. If you’d like to donate you can do so via their GoFundMe here. You can also donate to the Dominguez Gomez family Fire fund at participating Veridian Credit Unions.
An overnight fire quickly engulfed a mobile home in Kings Mobile Home Park on the Northside of Des Moines.
The flames started just before 2:30 a.m. Wednesday.
One mobile home was destroyed, but everyone was able to make it out alive because of a hero.
That hero is 9-year-old Juan Gomez.
“I felt like the house was immediately going to go down,” Juan said.
Juan woke up in the middle of the night and noticed an odd smell in the house.
“I just thought it was popcorn, but it was so strong so I checked,” Juan said.
As he checked on the odd smell, flames started to burn, so he ran to his mom’s room to wake her up.
“I had my door closed. He barged into my room and said mom there’s fire,” said Ana Dominguez, Juan Gomez’s mother.
By the time Juan alerted his mom, the flames were growing.
The family scrambled to get out safely, but flames were already blocking the front door and parts of the ceiling started to fall.
That’s when the 9-year-old boy took it on himself to comfort his little sisters.
“She was scared and she started crying. I told Cecilia it will be okay,” Juan said.
They were okay. All five of them and their two dogs made it out alive because Juan acted quickly.
“Had I stayed there I think five more seconds, I think we would’ve, yeah, fried basically” Dominguez said.
It pains Dominguez to think of what could have happened if it wasn’t for her brave son, but this proud mom is thankful for her son and what he did.
“I thank god for that kid at that moment because we were dead asleep,” Dominguez said. “He is the reason we’re probably alive.”
Juan said he realizes his quick actions saved his family and he’s thankful they will have more time together.
“I don’t know how to say it,” Gomez said. “I’m just really happy that I saved them and I can still make memories with my family.”
Family and friends have donated new shoes, winter coats, backpacks and more to the family.
If you’d like to donate you can do so via their GoFundMe here.
You can also donate to the Dominguez Gomez family Fire fund at participating Veridian Credit Unions.
