Arlington 15-year-old receives lifesaving award for saving neighbors from house fire

ARLINGTON, Texas - The Arlington Fire Department honored a 15-year-old boy for actions he took this week to alert his neighbors about a fire.

It happened Saturday morning when Cayden’s dogs, Allie and Polo, started barking to go outside. He let them out, and that’s when he heard a crackling noise in a neighbor's yard.   

"I thought it was a bonfire. I didn't know why there was a bonfire at 7 a.m. in the morning," he recalled. "So I looked over my pool ladder, and I saw that there was fire." 

The 15-year-old woke up his mom and told her to call 911. Before she even got to the phone, Cayden sprinted around the block to the neighbor’s house. He didn’t even stop to put his shoes on. 

"I just want to save the people," he said.

After Cayden banded on the neighbor's door, the homeowner was shocked when he told her about the fire. She quickly got her two kids, and the three of them made it out safely."

Lt. Adam Evans with the Arlington Fire Department says the fire was in the attic right above the bedrooms. He says without Cayden coming to their door, the outcome could have been very different. 

"To be 15 years old, to think that quickly to do what he did, it’s pretty extraordinary," Evans said. "And we’re very proud of him." 

On Wednesday, the fire department presented Cayden with a lifesaving award for his actions. 

Cayden’s mom, Quana Moore beamed with pride, but her son’s heroic act didn’t surprise her. 

"He has a big heart. That’s why when he first did it, it didn’t seem amazing to me," she said. "Because it’s just Cayden. That’s just what he does." 

Moore hopes Cayden never forgets how one action can make a big difference. 

"It makes me feel great that I saved somebody’s life," he said.

The Arlington Fire Department believes the fire started outside the home and then went up the wall into the attic. 

The home is likely a total loss, but no one was hurt.