A religious statue shows the intense heat of the Bragg Hill Road fire. The residents escaped with minor injuries.

Spotsylvania County firefighters check what's left of the Bragg Hill Road home where four people were rescued early yesterday. Chancellor Fire Department Administrative Chief Kevin Dillard called the blaze 'very suspicious.'

Firefighter gets first save when four get trapped in burning house

Date published: 7/11/2007

BY KATE HARMON

He's been with the Spotsylvania Volunteer Fire Department for 18 years, but Lt. Kevin Yeziersky had never rescued anyone from a burning building.

That changed yesterday when driving to work down Bragg Road before 4 a.m., he became the first on the scene at a house fire where four people were still inside.

"I pulled a burning body out once but it's different," Yeziersky said.

Others showed up to assist and one went around the house banging on windows trying to wake the three adults and child sleeping in the house, he said.

Jose Lormendez and Rodrigo Ceballos and the two others in the house at 1501 Bragg Rd. were then helped out through a broken window.

Spotsylvania Fire Department Deputy Chief Nick Caputo said the only injuries were minor arm and hand cuts.

The four were transported to Mary Washington Hospital, where they were treated and released.

The house is still standing but was "pretty much gutted," said Spotsylvania Deputy Fire Marshal Phil Sullivan at the scene.

Jennifer Villa, who lives next door, said the Red Cross is helping out her neighbors because they did not have renter's insurance. They will be living with family members until they find another place to live, she said.

Chancellor Fire Department Administrative Chief Kevin Dillard said the fire was reported around 3:30 a.m. Two volunteer units from Chancellor, the Spotsylvania volunteer fire department, and Fredericksburg's tower truck responded to the blaze.

Dillard called the fire "very suspicious" and said the cause is being investigated. An arson dog was on the scene, which Caputo called normal protocol.

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Date published: 7/11/2007