Co-workers rescue family, neighbors during house fire in Coatesville

COATESVILLE, Pa. (WPVI) -- Three employees of a senior living center in Coatesville are being hailed as heroes after they saved a father and his two sons from a fire not far from their workplace early Thursday morning.

Tammy Zummo, Monica Fioravanti, and Rose Lavender all work at Harrison Senior Living.

Zummo and Lavender were on the way to work together when they saw flames leaping from the second floor of the house in the 300 Block of Old Lincoln Highway.

Zummo explained what happened next.

"Ran across the street, Rose and I," she said, "That's when we saw the son on the porch, and we asked him if everyone was out. He said yes at that point and went back in and then came back out with his father and his other brother."

The women then started running to adjacent homes and waking up residents to make sure they got out of their homes in case the flames spread.

Monica Fioravanti was driving her own car enroute to the senior living center when she happened upon the burning home. She joined her co-workers in the rescue effort.

"I was afraid there was kids in there," she said. "And I didn't want them to get hurt. So we just worked as a team like we do at work. And everyone was safe. No one was hurt, and that is a blessing."

Lavender added, "We went door to door trying to get the kids out, whoever was sleeping. We were just banging - getting people out of the house. It was a lot of kids on both sides, and we got them out. Thank god."

The women told Action News they don't consider themselves heroes just compassionate people who did what they hope others would do for them.

"I am just thinking like if that was my family I would want somebody to do that for me," Lavender told us. "That's all. I am not a hero."

"It's all about the community. You gotta help one another. That's what it's about," Zummo said.

The homeowner said he lives in the house with his two sons, ages 18 and 20. He is in shock but thankful for the women's actions. He said the fire department determined it was an accidental electrical fire. The senior living center plans to take up a collection to help the family rebuild.