SALISBURY, Md. — An apartment fire in Maryland could have taken a turn for the worst if a brave 11-year-old boy didn't step up to save his little sister's life.
Laprentis Doughty, 11, did not let fear get in the way of rescuing his young sister, Loyalty Doughty, who was still inside a burning apartment in Salisbury, Maryland, Tuesday.
The heroic older brother says he couldn't live with himself if he didn't try to rescue his little sister. “If I didn’t save my sister, I would be mad at myself because I could’ve saved her easily. I could have saved her, and I would risk my life for my sister,” he said.
An electrical fire sparked at an outlet in a bedroom of a two-story apartment building located in the 1300 block of Jersey Road, in Salisbury on Nov. 22, according to a news release from the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
When the boy realized there was a fire in the apartment, he quickly ran out of the building. But after he was safely outside, he saw that his 2-year-old sister was still inside.
The child ran back inside and rescued her from the second floor, sustaining minor burns to his arm while escaping with his sister, authorities said. His injuries were minor enough that they did not require on-scene medical attention.
Salisbury Major Jake Days took the time to recognize Laprentis' heroism. “As a mayor, I’m always looking for citizens who are selfless, citizens who are willing to lead, and we’ve got one right here,” he said.
A GoFundMe has been set up for donations to assist the family during this time.
Over two dozen firefighters responded to the scene and put out the blaze within 10 minutes of arrival, according to the news release.
The fire caused an estimated $250,000 in damage to the structure and another $40,000 in damage to its contents, officials said.
Two of the apartment's eight units are uninhabitable as a result of the fire.
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