‘That’s an angel’: Ohio woman alerts family of 11 about fire

FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio — An Ohio woman saved a family of 11 when she knocked on their front door in the middle of the night to let them know their home was on fire.

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Haily Moss can be seen on the doorbell camera at the Fairfield Township home of Josh Ellis and Brittany Downing on July 5, WLWT-TV reported.

“You guys’ garage is on fire!” Strong screamed at about 1:06 a.m. EDT.

Strong told WCPO-TV that she was on her way home when she saw smoke in the sky. When she decided to investigate, she drove by the family’s home and realized it was on fire.

“I just happened to glance over here and see it,” Strong told the television station. “Against the black sky, I was surprised I even saw it.”

Strong said she did not even notice the doorbell camera until she was already knocking loudly on the door.

“I was praying that nothing exploded,” Strong told WCPO.

The family was unaware of the fire since the wind was blowing and no one inside the home could smell the smoke, WLWT reported. Although the garage was engulfed in smoke, the home’s smoke detectors had not been triggered.

“That’s an angel,” Ellis told the television station. “She saved our family, no exaggeration about that. She stayed and she saved our family. I mean, the house was ablaze.”

It is fortunate for the family that Strong was persistent in her knocking.

“I’m a heavy sleeper,” Ellis told WCPO. “When you got 11 kids, you got to get some sleep.”

Finally, the family was roused and exited the home without incident.

“I saw the mom come out with a baby on her hip and two kids in her arms,” Strong told the television station. “The dad was piling kids out.”

The fire destroyed the home, but Ellis and Downing were grateful that Strong was there to help.

“All of the other outcomes that could have happened if she wouldn’t have stopped and knocked on the door,” Downing told WLWT. “I don’t know if me and him would be here today for them kids.”

The family was reunited with Strong on Monday and repeated that she “was an angel.”

“It was really beautiful. I was surprised at how much emotion I felt,” Strong told WLWT. “Obviously, I was happy to be able to help them out and to get them out OK, but it was great to see them in person.”

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