Coralville apartment fire averted thanks to ‘very brave 11-year-old neighbor’

Two Coralville residents were saved from an apartment fire Thursday night after their 11-year-old neighbor noticed smoke coming from their unit.

According to a release from Coralville Fire Chief Orey Schwitzer, the Coralville Fire Department responded to a call about an apartment fire at 948 Boston Way in Coralville around 6 p.m. on October 24. Two residents had been asleep in the unit, but according to the report, 'a very brave 11-year-old neighbor” smelled smoke from across the hallway and ran into his neighbor's unit and yelled to wake the occupants before having his mother call 911 and made sure the rest of the building's occupants were evacuated.

The fire was extinguished about 10 minutes after responders arrived at the building.

The report determines the fire was caused by unattended cooking. Damage is estimated at around $10,000, and the displaced occupants are being assisted by the Red Cross.