ATHOL — Thanks to a quick-thinking 7th grader, a two-family home was saved from destruction. 

About a year ago, on Sept. 19, 2020, Maddison Rose Coburn, 12, was driving with her mother on Silver Lake Street when she noticed smoke coming out of the second-floor window of a house. 

“I had seen smoke coming out of the window and we had looked closer because we had parked on the opposite side of the road,” said Coburn. “At first, we thought it was a campfire type of thing and then when we looked closer at it, we saw that the house was on fire.”

The 12-year-old called 911 and waited with her mother for the fire crews to arrive. Thanks to Coburn’s call, the Athol Fire Department was able to put out the fire before it overtook the house. 

“She kind of instructed her mother that they should call 911, they did so, we responded there and we were able to quickly put out a small fire in an upstairs living room in a vacant apartment with minimal damage done to the building because of her quick reporting,” said Captain Jamal Hamilton of the Athol Fire Department.

The fire department honored Coburn with a Young Hero award at their second annual Firefighter Memorial ceremony which took place on Aug. 15. 

According to Hamilton, the Young Hero awards are issued by the State Fire Marshall to each municipality of the state based on the recommendations of local fire departments. The Young Hero awards are not just fire related either, it can be an EMS emergency that a young person assisted with as well. 

“In our community we always have a couple young heroes every year. It’s well deserved and it’s something we preach to take care of each other,” said Hamilton. 

Coburn is glad for the recognition, but not the circumstances surrounding them. 

“I’m kind of proud, it’s exciting, but I wish it was in different circumstances and there wasn’t a fire happening,” explained Coburn. 

In addition to Coburn, Elijah Etienne, 12, was also issued a Young Hero award this year. Etienne prevented a fire in his Athol home when he woke up his mother and called 911. Thanks to Etienne’s efforts, the fire department was able to put out a fire in his family’s dining room.