STOCKTON, Calif. — A Stockton family is without a home, but safe and uninjured after two school district employees rescued them from their burning home Friday.
It was a normal morning for Markis Scrivens and Sally Forgash, truancy outreach specialists with the Stockton Unified School District.
The two are tasked with assisting children who have been out of school for long periods of time or who may have run away.
"Friday was just a normal day, we were out doing home visits," Forgash said.
A morning of home visits landed them in the area of Alpine Avenue and Sanguinetti Lane Friday morning when they saw a column of black smoke.
"As we got closer, we noticed that there were three women in a yard and the smoke was just coming out," Forgash said. "They were yelling, and they just were not in a good space."
The two stopped, pulled over and ran towards the burning structure to help the family that was trapped behind a wrought iron gate inches from the burning home.
"The fire was right there, right next to them," Forgash said. "They didn't know what to do, they were desperate."
But Scrivens and Forshag did know what to do. First, the two were handed the baby from behind the tall fence pulling the baby away from the flames.
Next, the truancy specialists called on help from fellow Stockton Unified staff members at Harrison Elementary, just across the street.
"They just pulled the gate down," Forgash said. "The biggest thing for us was keeping this family safe, just bring them out to where the street is."
Stockton Firefighters arrived on scene soon after and were able to contain the fire stopping it from spreading further into the home.
Modified floor plans in the house showed a garage converted into a living space with a kitchen, which complicated the firefight, according to a Facebook post by Stockton Firefighters Local 456.
Video posted to Facebook shows firefighters using two hoses within minutes of arriving on scene to tackle the fire.
Friday's fire came after a busy week for the Stockton Fire Department, which fought several house and apartment fires in the city, displacing dozens of residents.
A fire days before, on Jan. 9 left 41 people without a home after flames damaged a three-story apartment building and a neighboring apartment unit downtown.
Just before Friday's fire, Stockton firefighters fought at least two structure fires on Jan. 13, which also displaced residents.
While some may call Forgash and Scrivens heroes, Forgash says she was just fulfilling her job duties of helping the community.
"It wasn't just about us. It was about the community, and that's what we do," Forgash said. "I'm just glad they're safe and they're back with their loved ones, because it could have just really turned into just a tragedy."
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