"I just seen big flames:" Man alerts neighbor his home is on fire, gets family to safety

RACINE (WITI) -- An alert neighbor noticed a fire at a home on Loraine Avenue in Racine late Monday night, February 16th. As a result, no one was hurt.

Donnie Ivy frantically banged on his neighbor's door just before 11 p.m. He had just pulled into his driveway when...

"I just seen big flames, so I took off running, bammed on their door. 'You got to get out of here, your house is on fire, your roof is on fire,'" said Ivy.

His banging worked. He startled his neighbor out of his sleep -- and got his family out of the burning home.

"He was shaken up. The main things were getting the kids out of the house and getting them in a warm area," said Ivy.

The two neighbors tried to keep the flames at bay while waiting for help to come.

"Me and him tried to put it out with a fire extinguisher. I was at the bottom by the water hole by the time the fire department came," said Ivy.

Officials say the fire occurred in the chimney of the one-story home. Keith Olson with Emergency Fire and Water Restoration will now make repairs.

"My first priority was to take care of them and their family and find them a place to stay," said Olson. "This is a life-changing experience and I know that the older daughter is pretty distraught about this because this is where you live this is your sanctuary."

It's a sanctuary that still stands because a neighbor banged on the door.

Officials say the fire was accidental.