July 28, 2005

Teens, neighbors rescue farm animals, help douse Fortini Road fire

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

Driving home from her job at Chicago Title near Oakridge Mall on July 12, seemed like a typical afternoon for Jodi Holloway. All that changed, however, as she turned onto McKean Road and spotted smoke and a helicopter circling the rural New Almaden property she has called home for the past 11 years.

Homeowner Jodi Holloway, neighbor Ricky Rinauro and Holloway’s son Zachary sift through the debris of the old barn after a recent fire.

As she approached, Holloway realized a fire was burning on her property. Arriving home, she found several teenagers, neighbors and fire personnel with seven trucks extinguishing the fire that was quickly destroying her hay field and an old barn.

“As I began to collect information about what happened, I was told that the kids were the ones who kept everything controlled until the fire personnel arrived,” said Holloway. “They came with fire extinguishers and called neighbors to help. Some were in charge of my horses, dogs and every other animal I have. One was running a water carrier and a tractor. And others were watering everything they could reach.”

The fire started when a firecracker shot across 20 feet of grass in Holloway’s backyard, igniting her 40-acre hay field adjacent to the yard where a dilapidated barn stood. The explosive immediately burst into flames on impact on the hot summer afternoon.

“I was inside the house when the firework blew off,” said Holloway’s 14-year-old son Zackary. “The fire instantly happened.”

Firefighters at work extinguish every last remnant of the fire. Photos by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

Zackary immediately attached four hoses together to reach the fire. Twenty-year-old neighbor Andrew Brauer was the first one watering. Ricky Rinauro, whose father called the fire department, lives across the street and saw the blaze. The teenager hitched their mobile water truck and brought it over to help douse the flames. Darlene Werbelow, who trains Holloway’s horses, rescued the terrified equines from their stable next to the flaming field, to safety. Holloway’s five dogs were contained in the garage. Kelsey Leigh, Rheanna Rinauro, Megan Burton “and everybody else in the whole neighborhood” were there to help. The kids watered Holloway’s barn and hay field until the fire department arrived 10 to 15 minutes later.

The fire department worked five hours dousing the flames in the field, around the old barn and creating a firewall from Holloway’s residence north to San Vicente Avenue. After it was extinguished, they came back hours later to check again.

And so with everyone working together along with the quick thinking of a group of teenagers and neighbors that care about each other, Holloway’s home and land were saved.

“I love teenagers!” said Holloway. “It didn’t hit me until a couple of days later what could have happened. I want to thank them and all the great people who came to save my place. They did an awesome job.”